British Olympic Gold Medal winners MO FARAH and GREG RUTHERFORD "will lead a strong Great Britain team in the first major competition to be staged on home soil since the Olympic Games." High jumper ROBBIE GRABARZ, "struggling to regain the form of last season, is included in the team." CHRISTINE OHURUOGU is part of the 4x400m relay team, along with her sister, VICKY (LONDON TIMES, 6/12). ... Retired seven-time F1 world champion MICHAEL SCHUMACHER "will help the flood victims in Germany" and "auction off his racing overall from his time with Mercedes." The 44-year-old "will donate the auction's proceeds to people in need" (DPA, 6/11). ... Biathlon legend OLE EINAR BJOERNDALEN "will retire" after the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The 39-year-old "is the most decorated athlete in the sport's history" (EUROSPORT, 6/12). ... League Championship Blackburn Rovers Chair DUMISANI MCEDANI was "charged with assaulting a match official." Blackburn was acquitted, but Mcedani "was found guilty and was suspended from all footballing activities under the auspices" of the National Soccer League for four years. He was also "ordered to pay all the costs of the hearing including the cost of securing the attendances of the League’s witnesses" (SOWETAN LIVE, 6/12). ... Cricket Australia suspended batsman DAVID WARNER for Australia's ICC Champions Trophy match against New Zealand Wednesday night for a breach in CA's Code of Behaviour. Warner was allegedly involved in a physical altercation with an England player early Sunday morning following the ICC Champions Trophy match between the teams in Birmingham (CA). ... F1 Ferrari driver FELIPE MASSA will remain with the Ferrari team for '14. Ferrari CEO STEFANO DOMENICALI said, "Despite what has been said, he will stay with us, for sure. If Felipe continues as he is I do not see a problem for his future. I see no reason not to stay with Felipe" (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 6/12).
NBA ROAD TRIPS: NBA Houston Rockets G JAMES HARDEN "arrived in Taiwan for a three-day visit on Wednesday." During his visit, Harden "will give a speech to high school basketball players, take part in an online 'meet-the-fans' forum and practice with Taiwan's national team before leaving the country" Friday (WANT CHINA TIMES, 6/12). ... Organizers behind NBA L.A. Lakers G KOBE BRYANT's planned visit to the UAE this year have described it as a “huge” boost for basketball in the country. Bryant "will run a two-day skills camp in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September" (GULF NEWS, 6/12).
SAYING SORRY: Australian national coach HOLGER OSIECK apologized on Wednesday after saying "women should shut up in public" following the Socceroos' World Cup qualifying victory over Jordan in Melbourne. Osieck made the comment prior to starting his post-match news conference after the 4-0 win on Tuesday, with the German adding "I'm going to be the darling of all Australian wives" after discovering the cameras were already rolling. Osieck: "It was off the record and... a complete misunderstanding... it was more meant as a joke. There was no seriousness in it" (REUTERS, 6/12).
