Australian Football League side Essendon could name MARK THOMPSON interim coach as early as Thursday -- with NEIL CRAIG "his potential sidekick." Craig, who was high performance manager at Melbourne this year, has "emerged as the surprise senior assistant to Thompson" (HERALD SUN, 10/9). ... Former Japanese Pacific League club Fukuoka Softbank Hawks player HIROKI KOKUBO "was introduced as the next manager" of Samurai Japan during a ceremony at Japan’s Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday. Kokubo "will be tasked with grooming" current Samurai Japan members for the future while also identifying new talent, all in hopes of putting Japan in position to bring home a third World Baseball Classic title during the '17 edition of the tournament (JAPAN TIMES, 10/9). ... IOC President THOMAS BACH "will make his first trip to Sochi" in his new role later this month. Bach will attend the Sport and Environment Conference in Sochi from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 (AP, 10/9). ... The Egyptian coach of the Saudi Judo team, MOHAMED SOBEI, "died Tuesday in Algiers at the age of 62 following a heart-attack" (XINHUA, 10/9). ... Australian Olympic champion SALLY PEARSON split with her coach of 14 years, SHARON HANNAN, saying that "the time was right to part ways." Pearson said in a statement that Hannan had been "an amazing coach" and she would continue to attribute her success to her (AFP, 10/9). ... Union Agriculture Minister and National Congress Party "strongman" SHARAD PAWAR on Wednesday "filed his nomination for the presidentship of the Mumbai Cricket Association," a day after Bharatiya Janata Party leader GOPINATH MUNDE did so, "to make it a two-way fight" for the reins of the MCA at its Oct. 18 biennial polls (PTI, 10/9). ... CRISTIANO RONALDO and LIONEL MESSI "will be among the notable names backing UEFA's anti-racism initiative" in October (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 10/9). ... Frantic fans of Bulgarian club Levski "aggressively interrupted the first news conference" of new coach IVAYLO PETEV. A group of about 10 ultras "broke into the briefing room and ordered him to take off his club shirt." The fans protested that "they did not want Petev as the new coach of Levski and that he should not be wearing the club colours." They claimed that "he was a supporter of rivals CSKA" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/9). Petev has denied supporting another club from the city and said that "he was determined to stay in the post despite being forced out of his first news conference by hostile fans." Petev: "I am a professional and I came to work for the good of Levski. I'll continue my work (at Levski)" (REUTERS, 10/9). ... Real Madrid will host an exhibition on Nov. 25 in honor of former player FERENC PUSKAS. The exhibition will "present 150 personal items which belonged to the former Madrid striker." A bronze bust of Puskas will be revealed at Real Madrid's Football City on Oct. 24 (MARCA, 10/8). ... Spanish Football League (LFP) President JAVIER TEBAS on Wednesday reiterated his "firm intention to end match-fixing and put those guilty of it in jail." Tebas also "emphasized that only 1% of LFP matches are affected by match-fixing" (EP, 10/9). ... Tennis player CARLOS MOYA was presented on Thursday as the new captain of Spain's Davis Cup team. Moya will replace ALEX CORRETJA in the role (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 10/9). ... Real Madrid has signed nine-year-old Japanese footballer TAKUHIRO NAKAI, who has been called a "Mini-Messi" (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 10/9). The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) will offer Spanish national team coach VICENTE DEL BOSQUE a deal to remain the team's coach through '16 (AS, 10/9). ... The QUEEN "has sent the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games baton on its 120,000-mile journey across the world." DUKE OF EDINBURGH "stood next to the Queen outside Buckingham Palace on Wednesday as she placed the baton made of titanium, wood and granite" into the hands of former Olympic sprint champion ALLAN WELLS, winner of four Commonwealth golds (PA, 10/9). British Gold Medalist CHRIS HOY was given the honor of "processing the symbol of Glasgow 2014 down The Mall." The cyclist, "who has retired from competitive racing after winning a clutch of Olympic, World and Commonwealth titles, was joined by the Pipes and Drums 1st Battalion Scots Guards and the Pipes and Drums 1st Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Royal Scots Borderers)" (SCOTSMAN, 10/9).
