The producers of a film "portraying the intense rivalry" between London Olympic Organizing Committee Chair SEBASTIAN COE and former middle distance runner STEVE OVETT in the run-up to the 1980 Moscow Olympics have signed up "Harry Potter" star DANIEL RADCLIFFE to portray London's future Olympic chief. The film, to be called "Gold," was first announced in Feb. '10, but plans "failed to get it made" and released before the 2012 London Olympics. It appears to have "a new lease on life." It is "not yet clear" who will play Ovett (LONDON TIMES, 10/31). ... Peru football coach SERGIO MARKARIAN "has turned down an offer" to stay on after the team "failed to qualify for next year's World Cup in Brazil." Markarian: "We recognize that things didn't work out, we are responsible for that and we are more disappointed than anyone else" (REUTERS, 10/31). ... Indian swimmer ARJUN MURALIDHARAN "has been handed a two-year ban" by India's National Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel after testing positive for stimulant Methylhexaneamine during the All India Police Aquatics Championships in March (PTI, 10/30). ... A former Brazilian footballer "was killed and his decapitated head delivered to his widow by suspected drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro on Monday night." JOAO RODRIGO SILVA SANTO, 35, who played for Bangu, Olimpia, Nacional and Swedish club Oster during his career, "was kidnapped after leaving the local food store he owned in the district of Realengo" (ESPN, 10/30). ... Argentine footballer ROLANDO SCHIAVI has retired at the age of 40. Schiavi, who played for Argentine first division side Boca Juniors from '01-05, ended his career playing for Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua (CLARIN, 10/30). ... The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) will raise a petition to the Brazilian government to remove DIEGO COSTA's Brazilian citizenship. The Brazilian-born Costa recently decided to play for Spain at the 2014 World Cup. CBF President JOSÉ MARÍA MARIN confirmed that he is authorizing a petition to Brazil's Justice Minister to "declare that Costa has lost his Brazilian citizenship" (DPA, 10/30).
