Montreal Canadians winger MAX PACIORETTY "will join Swiss NLA club HC Ambri-Piotta during the NHL lockout." The 23-year-old was the Canadians' top scorer last season with 65 points (33 goals, 32 assists) in 79 games (BLICK.ch, 9/24). ... AS Roma GM FRANCO BALDINI "distanced himself" from a new technical director job at EPL Tottenham. The London club's Chair DANIEL LEVY wants to create a new position. The 51-year-old Baldini said, "I have an obligation over here with Roma. It is a long project to which I am committed." Former FC Barcelona Technical Dir TXIKI BEGIRISTAIN "has also been linked with the job" (BBC, 9/24). ... England's SARAH TAYLOR and Australia's LISA STHALEKAR were revealed as the No. 1 ranked batter and bowler in the Reliance ICC Women's T20I Player's Rankings, which were launched in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Monday (ICC). ... The Twitter abuse aimed at referee MARK HALSEY after ManU's 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday has been condemned as "beneath contempt" by the match officials' union Prospect. Hasley was the victim of two abusive tweets, "both of which referred to his throat cancer diagnosis in '09" (London TELEGRAPH, 9/24).
BACK TO COURT: Chelsea defender JOHN TERRY and his legal advisers appeared at Wembley in a "bid to clear his name for a second time," nearly a year after he was accused of racial abuse at a Premier League match. A Football Association disciplinary panel convened to "hear a charge that he abused" Queens Park Rangers ANTON FERDINAND on Oct. 23, 2011. The hearing is expected to last "two or three days" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 9/24). ... ManU CEO DAVID GILL visited the New Charter Academy in Ashton to meet young people and mark the start of a partnership between the Manchester United Foundation and the business and enterprise school Tameside Academy (24DASH.com, 9/24). ...
Britain's former Olympic Bronze Medalist TONY JEFFRIES has "announced his retirement from professional boxing due to injuries to both hands." Jeffries was undefeated with nine wins and a draw. His last fight took place on Sept. '11. Over his career he developed injuries, which required surgery, with a hole in a knuckle and a tear in his left hand "proving insurmountable obstacles as he attempted to return to the ring" (SPORTINGLIFE.com, 9/23). ... Indian Boxing Federation Chair ABHAY SINGH CHAUTALA said that he is ready to be at the helm of the Indian Olympic Association "if entrusted with the high-profile job." Chautala said, "I am ready to take up the responsibility if the General Assembly entrusted me with the job. I am not going to run away from taking up the responsibility,” said Chautala, who was yesterday nominated as chairman of Indian Boxing Federation after serving as its president for three successive terms" (PTI, 9/24).
THE FAR EAST: Local media reports have said that former Chelsea player DIDIER DROGBA "was so infuriated with his teammates lack-luster display" in Shanghai Shenhua's 1-1 draw against Shanghai Shenxin on Saturday "that he smashed a wooden locker." Shenhua Owner ZHU JUN said on his social media Weibo account: "Soft collapse, deserved not to win" -- indicating that he was "no less pleased with the outcome than his multi-million signing Drogba" (WILDEASTFOOTBALL.net).... Chinese Olympic swimmer SUN YANG, who won two Gold Medals in the London Games, has been "pushed to the verge of a split" with his Australian coach DENNIS COTTERELL after Australia Swimming banned Cotterell from coaching foreigners (CHINA DAILY, 9/24). ... Former NBA player YAO MING has successfully sued China-based Yunhe Sharks Sportswear Company "for infringement of his image rights." The case, from which he won 1M yuan ($158,000) by the high court of Hubei province, is the first time the Chinese native has sued a sporting goods company in China (WANTCHINATIMES.com, 9/23).
