One of Australia’s "best-loved cricket commentators,'' KERRY O'KEEFFE, has announced his retirement from the ABC. O'Keeffe said, "You know when your time is up and after 13 summers with ABC Grandstand I'm retiring from cricket broadcasting" (GUARDIAN, 12/27). ... Real Madrid forward CRISTIANO RONALDO on Saturday "received Globe Soccer Award for the fans favorite player in 2013." Ronaldo "was speaking at a Dubai International Sports Conference when he was awarded" (AL ARABIYA,12/28).
NOTABLE DEATHS: Former Russia midfielder ILYA TSYMBALAR, "considered one of the most gifted post-Soviet players, has died at the age of 44 in his native Black Sea town of Odessa." According to the football agent ROMAN ORESHCHUK, Tsymbalar's death "was caused by heart trouble" (REUTERS, 12/29). ... Uganda's first Olympian, PATRICK ETOLU, "has died." The 78-year-old Etolu "was part of the maiden team which represented Uganda in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia." He "managed to finish in 12th position" after clearing a height of 1.96M (NEW VISION, 12/27).
