NBA players KEVIN DURANT, CARMELO ANTHONY, CHRIS PAUL and BLAKE GRIFFIN "are scheduled to arrive in Taiwan this week to promote the Summer Nights event." They also "plan to meet Taiwanese fans on Google+ Hangout after their arrival and throw out the first pitch before a Chinese Professional Baseball League game" (CNA, 7/16). ... Golfer ERNIE ELS "has accepted an invitation to become an honorary member and international ambassador of the Asian Tour." Els "has been a huge supporter of the Asian Tour," where he has featured in a total of 26 tournaments across the region dating back to '04 (IANS, 7/16). ... World tennis No. 4 AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA "has been dropped by a Catholic youth movement in her native Poland for posing nude" in the "Body Issue" of ESPN Magazine. While not explicit, the nude photo "has proven too much for a Catholic group known as Krucjata Mlodych (Youth Crusade)" (BRISBANE TIMES, 7/16). ... Cambodian kickboxing champion LONG SOPHY "will become Cambodia's first fighter in the ONE FC cage" in Jakarta on Sept. 13. The Singapore-based company confirmed over the weekend that Sophy is set to take on Indonesian fighter MAX METINO (PHNOM PENH POST, 7/16). ... Former Romanian football player COSMIN OLAROIU dismissed suggestions that money was the biggest consideration in his surprise move from UAE Pro-League side Al Ain to Al Ahli, "and claims he was forced to look at other options after negotiations with the Arabian Gulf League champions reached a dead end." Olaroiu "stunned the UAE football fraternity last week by accepting a three-year deal at Ahli," estimated to be worth €4M ($5.2M) a year, plus perks (THE NATIONAL, 7/15). ... Seria A Torino goalkeeper JEAN FRANCOIS GILLET has been banned for three years and seven months for suspected match-fixing (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 7/16). ... DAVID BECKHAM revealed "he is on the brink of announcing details about his plans to own" a Major League Soccer team. Beckham said, "This is a big decision where I’ll have my franchise and how I’m going to do it. It’s something I’m excited about" (THE SUN, 7/16). ... The Brazilian Paralympic Committee has nominated President ANDREW PARSONS for VP of the Int'l Paralympic Committee (CPB).
