Jamaican sprinters USAIN BOLT and SHELLY-ANN FRASER-PRYCE "were crowned male and female World Athletes of the Year for 2013 by the sport's governing IAAF at a ceremony in Monaco on Saturday." Bolt "won gold in the 100 meters, 200 and 4x100 relay at the Moscow worlds in August to take his all-time tally to eight golds and two silvers at the championships, making him the most successful athlete in their history." Fraser-Pryce claimed Gold Medals in the same three events in Moscow, having previously won two Golds and two Silvers, and "is also the Olympic sprint champion." Bolt and Fraser-Pryce also receive a prize of $100,000 (REUTERS, 11/16). ... Singer RICKY MARTIN will be a judge of a contest to choose a song for the official 2014 World Cup album (XINHUA, 11/16). ... The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority scandal "has moved" to the New South Wales District Court after suspended winger SANDOR EARL began "legal action against the doctor who injected him with banned peptides" in '11 (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 11/16).
RECORD-SETTING RUN: Red Bull F1 driver SEBASTIAN VETTEL won his record-setting eighth straight Grand Prix on Sunday at the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin. ... National Rugby League CEO DAVE SMITH "will meet with some of European sport's leading administrators," including Premier League CEO RICHARD SCUDAMORE, during a trip to Britain for the final matches of the World Cup. That includes senior execs from ManU, Arsenal Marketing Dir ANGUS KINNEAR, Rugby Football Union CEO IAN RITCHIE, Sports Minister HELEN GRANT and London's Commissioner for Sport KATE HOEY (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 11/16).
A FINAL FAREWELL: Cricketer SACHIN TENDULKAR on Sunday said that "his association with cricket wouldn't end with his retirement from international arena, but it was too early to determine what exactly it would be." Tendulkar: "Cricket has been my life, it is oxygen to me. In 40 years, at least 30 years I have played proper cricket -- 75 percent of my life has been cricket. So, there will be some association with the game, maybe not in the immediate future. Still, it is only 24 hours since my retirement" (IANS, 11/17). Tendulkar "will become the first sportsperson to receive the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour." PM MANMOHAN SINGH's office said in a statement, “Sachin Tendulkar is undoubtedly an outstanding cricketer -- a living legend who has inspired millions across the globe. He has been a true ambassador of India in the world of sports" (GULF TIMES, 11/16).
