South Korean swimmer PARK TAE-HWAN said that "he will soon travel to Australia to discuss his future plans" with his coach MICHAEL BOHL (YONHAP, 11/7). ... Taiwan's Sports Affairs Council said that it will grant Taiwanese pitcher for the MLB Baltimore Orioles WEI-YIN CHEN "a special award under the council's annual Taiwan Sports Elite Awards program." Chen will receive the award "for his outstanding performance" this year, as his achievements have "helped raise Taiwan's visibility in the int'l sporting community" (CNA, 11/8). ... Former Germany national football team captain MICHAEL BALLACK "has been banned from driving for 18 months" and fined €6,750 ($8,600) after he clocked 211 kph on a Spanish highway in October. He was also ordered to pay the costs of the trial (REUTERS, 11/8). ...
SITTING ONE OUT: The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association said that LINDSEY VONN and JULIA MANCUSO will not attend the first alpine world cup slalom of the season in Finland "in order to focus on the giant slalom and slalom" in Aspen, U.S. on Nov. 24-25 (AFP, 11/7). ... A court in India has overturned a life ban imposed on former India cricket captain MOHAMMAD AZHARUDDIN. The 49-year-old had been banned from playing all forms of the game in '00 following allegations of match fixing. The Andhra Pradesh High Court ruled the ban was "illegal and unsustainable" (BBC.com, 11/8). ... CARMEN BASILIO, who wrestled the world middleweight boxing crown from SUGAR RAY ROBINSON in '57 "and lost an equally epic, razor-edge rematch six months later," has died at age 85. Basilio was a member of the inaugural Hall of Fame class in '90, a group that includes MUHAMMAD ALI, ROCKY MARCIANO, JOE LOUIS and JAKE LAMOTTA (Scotland DAILY RECORD, 11/7).
MUSIC IN THE AIR: Real Madrid striker CRISTIANO RONALDO "has threatened to unleash a Real Madrid super-band on music lovers everywhere." He joined teammate PEPE in a music studio in Spain this week. Ronaldo said, "Music is part of me and part of the people I am close to. Without music, we wouldn't live so happily. I love music" (London DAILY MAIL, 11/8). ... British singer ROD STEWART "watched his beloved Celtic" beat FC Barcelona, and "it all got a little bit much." As the "swathes of Celtic fans bounced to the tune of Depeche Mode's "I Just Can't Get Enough" at the final whistle" and Celtic Manager NEIL LENNON ran onto the pitch, "an overwhelmed Stewart was left in flood of tears as he came to grips with one of Celtic's great nights in European competition across the ages" (London DAILY MAIL, 11/8).
