Former NBA player DENNIS RODMAN's "colorful tweets from the heart of North Korea appear to have upset South Korea's best-known cultural export", the "Gangnam Style" rapper PSY. One of several tweets since Rodman arrived in Pyongyang wondered if he "might meet up with Psy during his stay in the North." Rodman tweeted: "Maybe I'll run into the Gangnam Style dude while I'm here." On Wednesday Psy retweeted: "@dennisrodman I'm from #SOUTH man!!!" (AFP, 2/27). ... Former basketball player YAO MING has "confirmed he will put forward a proposal" at the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference next month. Yao: "I'm still working on the proposal ... I feel great responsibilities upon me" (CHINA DAILY, 2/26). ... Premier League Sunderland footballer JAMES MCCLEAN has closed his Twitter account "after a row over a tweet in which he named an Irish rebel anthem as his favourite song." The Wolfe Tones song, The Broad Black Brimmer, "tells the story of a boy whose father is killed fighting for the IRA" (BBC, 2/27).
THE GREAT WHITE NORTH: Former Hockey Australian Capital Territory representative mentor IAN RUTLEDGE "will spearhead Canada’s bid to be successful at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio" after being appointed coach of the women’s team. Rutledge "has led the Canberra Lakers and Canberra Strikers teams in the Australian Hockey League" (THE AGE, 2/27). ... Former Arsenal footballer DENNIS BERGKAMP "is to become the next Arsenal legend to be immortalised" outside the Emirates Stadium later this year with a statue. Images of the statue have emerged on Twitter, "with the pose taken from him controlling the ball in mid-air against Newcastle in 2003" (London TELEGRAPH, 2/27). ... Former Barcelona Manager PEP GUARDIOLA is set to watch his new club Bayern Munich "for the first time since agreeing to take charge at the beginning of next season." Reports in Germany have claimed that Guardiola "will be in the stands to watch Bayern take on old foes Borussia Dortmund in their DFB Pokal" at the Allianz Arena (DAILY MAIL, 2/27). ... New South Wales Blues cricketer MOISES HENRIQUES "is set to be rewarded for his breakthrough summer by clinching a Cricket Australia contract" worth A$190,000 ($194,541). The "Ashes hopeful will officially be handed a CA deal if, as expected, he is retained for the second Test against India" starting Saturday in Hyderabad (NEWS LIMITED NETWORK, 2/28). ... In Pakistan, Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach and mentor WASIM AKRAM "will not be available for the upcoming season as he wishes to spend more time with his family." The KKR management "has decided against naming any replacement for Akram" (GULF NEWS, 2/27). ... LPGA Tour golfer MICHELLE WIE who was "born in the United States to South Korean parents, has recently relinquished her Korean citizenship" (KOREA HERALD, 2/27).
RULES THE WAVES: Artemis Racing announced the addition of 2012 Olympic Medalists IAIN JENSEN and ANDREW SIMPSON "as well as 2016 Olympic hopeful" JOHN GIMSON. The newcomers "will join the team's decorated Olympians" IAIN PERCY, SANTI LANGE, NATHAN OUTTERIDGE and CRAIG MONK. Jensen and Gimson "will provide sailing and training support for the team including maintenance and logistics for the team's AC45 and F18 fleet, while Simpson will provide weather and tactics support to the afterguard" (SAIL WEB, 2/26). ... Former Argentina striker DIEGO MARADONA "who single-handedly led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986" has said that although Argentine footballer LIONEL MESSI is a "great lad" he believes he was the better of the two players. Rising Brazilian star NEYMAR "has been slated by another of the world's greats for his contribution to the national team. Last week, former Brazilian footballer PELE "described the Santos forward's performances as 'ordinary' whenever Brazil play outside South America" (DAILY MAIL, 2/27).
