A participant in the BARCELONA-MARESME CHALLENGE, a triathlon that took place Sunday, "died of cardiac arrest." Two EMS units "arrived on the scene, but were unable to save him." The event attracted 350 participants from 36 countries (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 10/6). ... FC Barcelona President SANDRO ROSELL said that Barcelona will always "defend [Spanish state] Catalonia's 'right to decide.'" Rosell added that he believes that the club is "politically plural" and will "thus always be in favour" of accepting "'one of the fundamental rights of peoples and individuals,' and that is democracy." Speaking before 500 of the 4,333 delegates who had "been called to the assembly," Rosell said that future challenges for his board are to "maintain sporting excellence," get the club debt down below €200M ($271M) by '16, "redesign the stadium or construct a new one, as well as increasing revenue at world level" (MARCA, 10/5). ... Argentine national rugby player FELIPE CONTEPOMI has retired following Argentina's 54-17 loss to Australia on Saturday. Contepomi, 36, completed his 87th and final match for Argentina in the loss, giving him "the most appearances in team history." Contepomi: "It is a special moment, and not putting on the jersey again was a difficult decision. I am happy with my experiences and I'm fortunate for what rugby has done for me" (LA NACION, 10/5). ... Japan-based South Korean baseball player LEE DAE-HO has been approached by the management company of agent SCOTT BORAS, "hinting that the slugger could soon sign with a big league club." LEE CHA-HO, a sports agent and an older brother of the Orix Buffaloes player in Nippon Professional Baseball said that Boras Corporation Asian operations Dir AL CHUN has met the player "a few times in Japan" (YONHAP, 10/4). ... Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) VP MARCO POLO DEL NERO, has stated that the organization "will not stand in the way" of Brazilian football player DIEGO COSTA's decision to play for Spain. Del Nero: "If a player wants to play here or there, it will not be this organization that says he cannot" (MARCA, 10/5). ... Ex-German rider JAN ULLRICH has told Sky Sports that he has no plans to hand back the Olympic medals he won at Sydney 2000 because he considers they are his property and he does not understand why people are fretting over "things that belong to the past." In an interview with German magazine "Focus" four months ago, Ullrich confessed to having blood doped with the help of Spanish doctor EUFEMIANO FUENTES (MARCA, 10/5). ... The FA has handed a key coaching role to coach JOHN BECK, "who almost guided Cambridge United into the Premier League in the early 90s." Beck "was a controversial figure in management due to his devoted use of the long-ball and is now helping the FA to bring up the next generation of coaches" (EUROSPORT, 10/6). ... India's top doubles shuttler JWALA GUTTA may go to court against the Badminton Association of India "for threatening to ban her for life over a row during the Indian Badminton League." Jwala's coach SYED MOHAMMAD ARIF "has advised her to file a defamation suit against BAI for going to press without issuing her a ban notice" (IANS, 10/6).
