South Korean golfer PARK IN-BEE "has been shortlisted for an annual award for female athletes presented by a U.S.-based charity organization." Park "is among the eight finalists for the Sportswoman of the Year honors in the individual sport category," awarded by the Women's Sports Foundation. Among the nominees this year is U.S. swimmer MISSY FRANKLIN, U.S. tennis player SERENA WILLIAMS, U.S. snowboarder KELLY CLARK, Slovenian alpine skier TINA MAZE, U.S. Paralympic wheelchair athlete TATYANA MCFADDEN, U.S. pole vaulter JENN SUHR and Japanese figure skater MAO ASADA. The winner "will be announced on Oct. 16 at the WSF's annual gala" in N.Y. City (YONHAP, 8/14). ... The Malaysian National Cycling Federation VP and Anti-Doping Committee Chair DATUK AMARJIT SINGH GILL confirmed that Terengganu cyclist AHMAD FALLANIE ALI "had tested positive for a banned substance" during the 2013 Jelajah Malaysia (Tour of Malaysia) from June 26-30 (THE STAR, 8/14). ... Actor JACKIE CHAN “will support to the World Baseball Softball Confederations campaign” to get the sport “back on the Olympic programme” for the 2020 Olympics. Chan: “The two sports teach children teamwork, discipline -- about facing challenges and overcoming difficulties. Hence, I support baseball and softball's inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games and I sincerely wish baseball and softball receive the favorable votes from the IOC members" (INSIDE THE GAMES, 8/13). ... British reality star SUSAN BOYLE will be one of many performers taking part in the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics GB National Summer Games in Bath, England. Boyle will perform after a huge cauldron is lit from the Special Olympics torch. Also appearing will be local comedy writers and performers Avent and Monie, film star COLIN SALMON and British jazz singer CLARE TEAL (ITV).
CRICKET NAMES: Cricketer DARREN STEVENS "has admitted to being one of nine people charged with corruption offences relating to this year's Bangladesh Premier League." Stevens played for the Dhaka Gladiators, "the franchise which has been at the centre of an investigation into an alleged match-fixing ring." He faces a worldwide ban of "up to five years if found guilty" (London TELEGRAPH, 8/14). ... Pakistani cricketer SHAHID AFRIDI Wednesday "demanded that the producers of a film about a boy emulating his rise to stardom cut an 'obscene' scene which he fears could damage his image." Afridi, who hails from Pakistan's deeply conservative tribal district of Khyber on the Afghan border, "was furious at a scene in which the hero hugs and kisses a girl in a nightclub." Afridi, 33, said, "I had given permission for the film with an aim to give kids some positive healthy entertainment, to divert their minds towards cricket and it should not have obscene things" (AFP, 8/14). ... Pakistan cricketer MOHAMMAD ASIF on Wednesday "publicly confessed about his role in the 2010 Lord's Test spot-fixing scandal and tendered an unconditional apology to his countrymen for his actions." Nearly three years after he was handed a seven-year ban by the Int'l Cricket Council from any form of cricket, the 30-year-old "admitted to his guilt for the first time." Asif: "I apologize for my actions that have brought disrespect to my beloved country, to the millions of fans in Pakistan and in the world" (PTI, 8/14).
FOOTBALL NAMES: Former Argentine footballer ALBERTO CASTRONOVO died Tuesday in Cali, Colombia at the age of 79. Castronovo played professionally in both Argentina and Colombia, scoring 14 goals in 322 career games (AP, 8/13). ... LIONEL MESSI now has an account on Instagram. Messi has "added the photo-sharing account to his accounts on Facebook, Webchat and Weibo, a Chinese-language site similar to Twitter." Messi's first post is a video of his recent meeting with POPE FRANCIS (SPORT, 8/14).... EPL Stoke City striker CAMERON JEROME has been fined £50,000 ($77,650) "after he admitted breaching" FA betting rules. The 27-year-old "was also warned as to his future conduct after admitting repeat breaches of the regulations." He "has the right to appeal" (PA, 8/14). ... Spanish Olympic swimmer MIREIA BELMONTE will be "the spectator of honor" at Sunday's La Liga contest between Barcelona and Levante at Camp Nou (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 8/14).
