A tussle for the Sri Lanka National Olympics Committee presidency post "has commenced" between MAS Holdings Group Dir DIAN GOMES, Minister DILAN PERERA and Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union Chair ASANGA SENEVIRATHNE. Also, current NOC secretary MAXWELL DE SILVA too, "has plans for re-election" (SRI LANKA MIRROR, 10/31). ... Gaming company Ladbrokes "has opened a special book" following DAVID BECKHAM's purchase of the Miami Major League Soccer franchise. Beckham is 10:1 to buy a stake in a Premier League club in the next 10 years, and it is 40:1 that Miami wins the MLS in the first year and 6:1 it triumphs "within the next decade." Ladbrokes offers 5:1 that either BROOKLYN or ROMEO BECKHAM "plays for their dad's team" (London INDEPENDENT, 10/31). ... Former England national team Manager SVEN-GÖRAN ERIKSSON has "claimed that he signed a contract to succeed ALEX FERGUSON" at ManU in '02. Eriksson "made the claim in his new autobiography, in which he also revealed that he clashed with Ferguson" over WAYNE ROONEY's "participation at the 2006 World Cup" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 11/4). ... PELE believes that the World Cup and Olympic Games, as well as this summer’s Confederations Cup in Brazil, “will promote the country around the globe.” Pele: “I think this is the moment for Brazil to grow. This is the moment to bring the tourists to the country” (SAMBAFOOT, 11/2). ... ANDY MURRAY revealed that the fear of being branded "unpatriotic" led him to risk his vulnerable back during the Davis Cup tie in Croatia in September -- "and thus move further down the road to surgery." Only now has he acknowledged "how much pain he was suffering throughout the aftermath of his Wimbledon triumph." Murray, who was speaking at the launch of his new racket, the Head Graphene Radical, at Queen’s Club in London said, "I decided before Wimbledon that I was going to have the surgery after the US Open. Then, obviously, I won Wimbledon so, naturally, my team were like ‘Maybe it’s not the best idea to have it’ and I kind of went along with that" (London TELEGRAPH, 11/2). ... Former Olympic kayaker NATHAN BAGGALEY "has been arrested on drug manufacture charges just two years after being released from a four year jail term for similar offences." Baggaley "will face seven charges including conspiracy to import and manufacture a prohibited drug, and to supply a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug" (THE AGE, 11/3). ... Iran Football Federation President ALI KAFFASHIAN said that FIFA President SEPP BLATTER "will travel to Iran on Wednesday to attend a scientific conference on football" (XINHUA, 11/3).
