Hockey India League franchise Delhi Waveriders announced that actor JOHN ABRAHAM "is its co-owner and will support the team from the sidelines in the second edition of the tournament starting Jan 25." It was also made public that former India coach CEDRIC D'SOUZA "will coach the team," replacing AJAY KUMAR BANSAL (IANS, 12/16). ... Dutch national team coach GUUS HIDDINK "will return as coach" after the 2014 World Cup. According to Dutch media reports, Hiddink "will sign a four-year contract, the first two years as head coach and the last two years as technical supervisor." He "might succeed" LOUIS VAN GAAL, who already announced he will quit after the forthcoming World Cup (XINHUA, 12/16).
RONALDO'S WORLD: Real Madrid and Portugal's CRISTIANO RONALDO "has realised his project of opening a museum in his honour in his birthplace of Madeira -- complete with extra space allocated for this year’s Ballon d’Or." Standing next to his '08 trophy for Europe’s best player and 125 other individual and team awards dating back to his childhood, the 28-year-old said that the CR7 Museum "was a gift to his fans" (London TELEGRAPH, 12/16). ... Ronaldo also "has been named World Player of the Year by football magazine, 'World Soccer.'" He beat out Barcelona’s LIONEL MESSI and Bayern Munich’s FRANK RIBERY. Former Bayern Munich Manager JUPP HEYNCKES won the Manager of the Year award, followed by Borussia Dortmund's JÜRGEN KLOPP and Atlético Madrid's DIEGO SIMEONE. Bayern Munich was named the Team of the Year (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 12/13).
CRICKET NAMES: West Indies off-spinner SHANE SHILLINGFORD "has been banned from bowling in international matches due to an illegal action." The Int'l Cricket Council announced the suspension on Monday "following an independent biomechanical analysis of his action -- and that of teammate Marlon Samuels -- in Perth" (AAP, 12/16). ... WILLIAM PORTERFIELD has been named captain of the ICC Intercontinental Cup '11-13 Team of the Tournament. Other Ireland players include ANDREW WHITE and GEORGE DOCKRELL. Middle-order batsman RAHMAT SHAH and fast bowlers IZATULLAH DAWLATZAI and DALWAT ZADRAN will represent Afghanistan (ICC).
