NFL Dallas Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES "is excited about bringing his team to London this autumn, as he backed the idea of a team being based in the U.K. in the future." The expansion of the NFL to the U.K. "continues to move on at pace, with this year three regular season games taking place at Wembley Stadium" (SKY SPORTS, 2/14). ... Liga MX side Atlante President JOSÉ ANTONIO GARCÍA, Mexican politician DAVID PENCHYNA, MAURICIO BREMER of cement producer Cemex and businessman EDGAR MURILLO were robbed at gunpoint at a restaurant in the Mexican state of Hidalgo on Saturday. García said that "he and his friends were robbed of their watches and that no shots were fired" (LA AFICION, 2/15). ... Cyclist MUHAMMAD RAIHAAN ABD AZIZ of Brunei has been banned for two years from "competition and sports activity" after testing positive for anabolic steroids (GLOBAL TIMES, 2/16). ... ManU striker WAYNE ROONEY "will become the highest-paid player in Premier League history" when he signs a new £86M ($144M) contract this week. The England striker "will finally end speculation about his future" by putting pen to paper on a new five-and-a-half-year contract worth about £300,0000 ($502,000) a week that will tie him to Old Trafford until June '19, a few months shy of his 34th birthday. Rooney "is not due to return from a warm-weather training break in Dubai with United until this evening, but a deal has been agreed in principle by all parties," and is expected to be signed formally before Wednesday. The news "represents a significant boost" to ManU Manager DAVID MOYES (LONDON TIMES, 2/16).
