The British Lotus F1 team revealed that driver
KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN will stay with the team through '13. Lotus announced the contract extension with Räikkönen through a YouTube video (
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG, 10/29). A formal statement is expected later. Räikkönen, who won the '07 title with Ferrari, "made his F1 comeback this season after ending a switch to the World Rally Championship" (
London TELEGRAPH, 10/29). ... Men's tennis world No. 1
ROGER FEDERER has pulled out of the BNP Paribas Masters event in Paris this week (
L'EQUIPE, 10/28). ...
LIONEL MESSI was awarded the Golden Boot in recognition of scoring the most goals in Europe's domestic leagues last season (
MARCA, 10/29). ... Women's tennis world No. 2
MARIA SHARAPOVA said that "she felt embarrassed by her contribution" to a tennis-style Gangnam Style video. Great Britain's
LAURA ROBSON and Canada's
GENIE BOUCHARD "decided the women players should not be outdone" by world No. 2
NOVAK DJOKOVIC's Gangnam performance in Beijing, so they created a video of their own. They "persuaded Sharapova to introduce it, which she duly did with a saucy wink, something she might not have done had she actually known what she was introducing" (
AFP, 10/28). ... Australia's University of Wollongong named a scholarship after legendary cricketer
DONALD BRADMAN that will be awarded to an Indian student who wants to play the game while undergoing study, as well. The scholarship will be given to a student "who demonstrates strong participation in cricket," and he will have half of his tuition covered (
PTI, 10/29). ... ManU Manager
ALEX FERGUSON joined EPL CEO and Football Foundation Trustee
RICHARD SCUDAMORE to launch a new program that will invest in the new development of new or enhanced local sports facilities across England and Wales. The Premier League Community Facility Fund, funded by the EPL and delivered by the Football Foundation, is investing £18M ($28.8M) over three years to develop new or refurbished sports facilities for local people across the U.K. (
Fooball Foundation).
