Paralympian OSCAR PISTORIUS "will not compete again this year as he awaits trial for murder, despite receiving a number of meeting invitations." Pistorius's coach, AMPIE LOUW, confirmed that they have "turned down invitations to take part in major international athletic events" (SPORT24, 5/20). ... EPL Southampton Exec Chair NICOLA CORTESE "will be staying at the club next season" after a meeting with club Owner KATHARINA LIEBHERR, removing fears that Manager MAURICIO POCHETTINO "would also walk away from St Mary's" (PA, 5/18). ... Chinese side Guangzhou R&F is "in talks" to appoint former England Manager SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON as its next manager despite reports linking the former England boss to the Cameroon national side. Guangzhou R&F spokesperson CHEN JIE said, "Eriksson is one of the candidates" (AFP, 5/20). ... German pay-TV channel Sky has hired recently retired German footballer CHRISTOPH METZELDER as a broadcast analyst for its Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB-Pokal (German Cup) coverage (DWDL, 5/20). ... The '12 St. Leger winner ENCKE "is among seven horses to test positive for anabolic steroids" as the investigation widened into doping involving SHEIKH MOHAMMED's Godolphin operation. The latest British Horseracing Authority testing "returned positive results" for the steroid stanozolol and Encke will now be banned from running for six months, meaning he cannot return to action until Oct. 29 (AFP, 5/20). ... NEVILLE NEVILLE, father of Premier League and England footballers GARY and PHIL NEVILLE, will "be charged with sexual assault." Neville Neville, 63, is "accused of sexually assaulting a 46-year-old woman in March, the Crown Prosecution Service said" (TELEGRAPH, 5/20). ... Former Danish goalball player JANNIE HAMMERSHØI "is the first candidate to confirm she will stand for the Presidential role" at Int'l Blind Sports Federation (IBSA). ... Japan First Division side Júbilo Iwata named Japan's London Olympic coach TAKASHI SEKIZUKA as the first-division club’s new manager. Sekizuka returns to club management for the first time since leaving Kawasaki Frontale in '09 (JAPAN TIMES, 5/20). ... The accusations of sexual abuse by a former Spanish gymnast against 69-year-old former national team coach JESÚS CARBALLO "have shocked the sport." The accusations date back to the '70's and '80's, when the 48-year-old accuser, who wished to remain anonymous, was a minor (EL PAIS, 5/19).
TRAIL BLAZERS: Britain's KATHERINE LEGGE and PIPPA MANN and Brazilian ANA BEATRIZ "joined the Indianapolis 500 starting grid on Sunday to match a race record four women starters in this year's field." The trio joined Swiss racer SIMONA DE SILVESTRO, who qualified Saturday, to match the mark from '10 and '11 for female drivers in Indy's 33-car field. They were "among nine qualifiers on Sunday's final day of time trials" (AFP, 5/20).
