Names In The News

LIONEL MESSI reached out to GERD MÜLLER after breaking his record for most goals in a year. The Barcelona striker sent the German one of his jerseys with a personal note that read: "To Gerd Müller. My respect and admiration. Hugs" (MARCA, 1/9). ... Pole vaulter SERGEY BUBKA "made a brief stopover" in Doha, Qatar for a meeting with Qatar Olympic Committee Secretary General SHEIKH SAOUD BIN ABDULRAHMAN AL-THANI, and "has expressed his willingness to start cooperation in sports between Ukraine and Qatar" (GULF TIMES, 1/8). ... England batsman KEVIN PIETERSEN has signed a full central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board to "complete his reintegration into the international fold" (REUTERS, 1/9).

AWARDS: The nominees for the Laureus World Action Sports Award 2013 are: Austrian skydiver FELIX BAUMGARTNER, British BMX rider JAMIE BESTWICK, French Olympic mountain biker JULIE BRESSET, Australian surfers STEPHANIE GILMORE and JOEL PARKINSON and German windsurfer PHILIP KÖSTER. The winner will be announced at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Rio de Janeiro on March 11 (Laureus).