Former Champ Car driver ALEX ZANARDI, “the star racing driver who cheated death in a nightmarish crash,” completed an emotional return to the Brands Hatch racing circuit on Wednesday as a Paralympic cyclist. Zanardi celebrated one of sport’s greatest comebacks with a “glorious Gold Medal.” The former F1 driver, “who had both legs amputated after a horror Champ Car crash in Brandenburg 11 years ago” and then rebuilt his sporting career as a hand cyclist, won the H4 time trial event (London TELEGRAPH, 9/5). … MA QING HUA “will make history on Friday” by becoming the first Chinese driver to take part in a F1 weekend. For the first practice session of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Hua will replace NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN at HRT (London INDEPENDENT, 9/5). ... As the new honorary ambassador of sports for the Dubai Sports Council, DIEGO MARADONA will earn $5M annually (SPORTUNE.fr, 9/5). ... Indonesian badminton doubles pair GREYSIA POLII and MEILIANA JAUHARI have received a four-month ban for their role in match-throwing at the London Games (REUTERS, 9/5). ... The Harlem Globetrotters are scheduled to bring their basketball show to the UAE for the first time since '07, "opening a five-game run" on Oct. 25 at the Dubai Tennis Stadium. The Globetrotters will play three games in Dubai and two in Abu Dhabi during their three-day visit to the UAE (GULF NEWS, 9/5).
GOLD MEDALS GET OLD: Six-time Olympic Gold Medalist USAIN BOLT has been angling for a chance to play for ManU and now “he might have his chance .” ManU Manager ALEX FERGUSON wants the Jamaican to play in a charity game between ManU and Real Madrid legends. This year's Corazon Classic at the Santiago Bernabéu included ZINEDINE ZIDANE, LUIS FIGO and ROBERTO CARLOS on Real Madrid's side and TEDDY SHERINGHAM, DWIGHT YORKE and EDWIN VAN DER SAR for ManU (YAHOO.com, 9/5). … ManU CEO DAVID GILL will “put his club allegiances to one side” in his bid to represent England on the UEFA board. Gill will stand for election as the FA’s nominee to the “influential 16-strong body” that decides on the European football governing body's policies (London DAILY MAIL, 9/4). ... Spain football captain IKER CASILLAS and his teammate XAVI HERNANDEZ were "jointly awarded the nation's most prestigious sports prize," the Premio de Asturias de los Deportes (REUTERS, 9/4). ... Brasileiro club Palmeiras has offered Head Coach LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI a contract extension through '15. The deal would see him continue to be paid R$700,000 ($343,270) a month (FOLHA DE S. PAULO, 9/5). ... FIFA Secretary General JÉRÔME VALCKE "challenged cricket's unparalleled popularity in India." Valcke: "We cannot imagine football not being the No. 1 sport in India in the next 10 years, sorry for cricket" (PTI, 9/5). ... Malaysian Super League club Terengganu former footballer AHMAD SHARBINEE said that "he will clear his name" after getting axed for allegations that "he deliberately scored an own goal" against his team in the Malaysian Cup. He was "instantly hauled off the pitch" by England Manager PETER BUTLER after it appeared he had fumbled a corner into his own net. Terengganu FA President CHE MAT JUSOH said that the club's management would meet Wednesday "to attempt to resolve the issue" (REUTERS, 9/5). ... The Asian Football Confederation is "continuing its investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing" by former President MOHAMED BIN HAMMAM despite his provisional suspension ending on Tuesday (REUTERS, 9/5).
