Names In The News

LOCOG Chair SEBASTIAN COE received Beyond Sport's Leadership in Sport Award, supported by P&G, on behalf of International Inspiration, the official int'l sports legacy programme of London 2012. II Foundation Chair KEITH MILLS and Coe were presented with the first Beyond Sport Award of '12 at the Beyond Sport London Reception (Beyond Sport). ... Former NBA All-Stars including SCOTTIE PIPPEN, DENNIS RODMAN, HORACE GRANT, JASON WILLIAMS, MITCH RICHMOND and CLIFFORD ROBINSON will take part in an exhibition game featuring NBA All-Stars and Hall of Fame players at the newly opened Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines on July 18th (Integrated Sports & Entertainment). ... Barcelona and Real Madrid foundations kicked off a fund raising campaign to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa, La Caixa's Social Project, that raised €154,333 ($194,228). The funds will be distributed equally between UNICEF, ACNUR and FAO. La Caixa's Social Project Exec Dir, JAIME LANASPA, FC Barcelona Foundation Dir General JOSEP CORTADA, Real Madrid Foundation Exec VP ENRIQUE SANCHEZ, UNICEF Spain Exec Dir PALOMA ESCUDERO, ACNUR Spanish Committee General Dir MARIA ANGELES SIEMENS and FAO spokesperson BEATRIZ BEECKMAN signed the three-way agreement that establishes the management of donations and equal allocation to the three non-governmental organizations (Barcelona FC). ... After the German banker he has been accused of paying €28M ($43.8M) in bribes admitted his guilt in a Munich court room, F1 boss BERNIE ECCLESTONE's position became the subject of "renewed speculation." Ecclestone remained "defiant" stating that the banker was "trying to save himself" and that he has "nothing to hide" (TELEGRAPH, 6/20). ... Uzbek billionaire ALISHER USMANOV is not planning to join the Arsenal board but he does want to increase his stake in the club. Usmanov: "As much as possible, every time, I'm open to increase my shares." Along with Chelsea owner ROMAN ABRAMOVICH and Reading FC owner ANTON ZINGAREVICH, Usmanov is one of a "handful of Eastern European tycoons" in the EPL (DAILY MAIL, 6/21).