Liverpool striker LUIS SUÁREZ has been voted the 2014 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association. Suárez received 52% of the votes in a poll of more than 300 journalists to finish ahead of teammate STEVEN GERRARD. Man City midfielder YAYA TOURÉ finished "in third place." Suárez has scored 30 goals this season to keep Liverpool "in the running for their first league title for 24 years" (LONDON TIMES, 5/5). ... Former Australian national netball coach NORMA PLUMMER "will not be renewing her contract with West Coast Fever beyond the 2014 season." A replacement "has not been announced" (AAP, 5/5). ... National Rugby League side Wests Tigers and New South Wales player MITCHELL MOSES "has apologised" to Queensland U20s player JOSH BATEMAN and NRL officials "for the homophobic slur that has cost him a two match suspension." Moses attended Rugby League Central "to apologise to officials in person and also spoke to the promising Canberra forward about the offensive remark, which was heard by television viewers" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 5/5). ... Australian cricket bowling coach CRAIG MCDERMOTT, who has been credited with turning his country's pace attack into one of the most potent in the world, "has signed a new two-year deal" (REUTERS, 5/5). ... La Liga Levante midfielder PAPE DIOP revealed that he danced in front of the Atlético Madrid fans after Levante’s 2-0 win because "he was targeted with monkey chants." Diop: “They called me a monkey and I turned and imitated a monkey. I’m tired of racism in football. And there’s a lot" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 5/4).
HELP WANTED: Tennis player ANDY MURRAY "is stepping up the search" for a new coach to replace IVAN LENDL as he "heads into the busiest period of his working year." Murray parted company with Lendl in March, but it is only recently that "he has had the time to draw up any kind of shortlist of possible contenders." Murray: “I might have to wait a bit. It depends on how I do in the next couple of weeks. If I do well, I won’t have much time but if I don’t do so well, I’ll have more time to think about it and talk to people. I still hope to have a coach definitely, definitely before Wimbledon but I’d hope before the French Open” (SCOTSMAN, 5/5).
SEX TAPE SCANDAL HITS NRL: National Rugby League New Zealand Warriors player KONRAD HURRELL "is under investigation by the NRL integrity unit over a video posted on social media of him involved in a sex act" with New Zealand TV actress TEUILA BLAKELY. The video, which appears to have been filmed on a phone, "was uploaded and has been circulated on Instagram." It features Hurrell "driving a car while Blakely performs a sex act on him." While Hurrell and Teuila "are consenting adults," the timing of the video’s emergence "could hardly have been more embarrassing for NRL officials as they launched Women in League round" (SMH, 5/5).
