England midfielder FRANK LAMPARD announced his "retirement from international football after a career spanning 15 years on Tuesday" (AFP, 8/26). ... La Liga side Elche has "found an unexpected way to try to find a solution" to its budget problem. This "was found thanks to" Manager FRAN ESCRIBÁ, who agreed to delay receiving part of his salary to next year, so that €300,000 ($395,700) "corresponding to this season will instead count toward the budget for next year" (DIARIO FRANJIVERDE, 8/25). ... British architect ZAHA HADID "has sued over allegations that she has shown no concern about the deaths of construction workers in Qatar, where she has designed a stadium for the 2022 World Cup."
Hadid, who designed the Aquatics Centre for the London Olympics, said that New York Review of Books critic MARTIN FILLER "falsely implied that she was indifferent to the abuse of workers in Qatar, where nearly 1,000 Indians and Nepalese are estimated to have died in two years" (LONDON TIMES, 8/26). ...
Brit JOHN MCEWEN "has entered the race" for the Int'l Equestrian Federation (FEI) presidency -- the fourth European to declare their bid for the role.
McEwen, who is currently first VP of the FEI, will seek the presidency when the incumbent PRINCESS HAYA "steps down at the world governing body’s General Assembly in Baku, Azerbaijan, in mid-December." Three other candidates "have declared their interest in the role so far." They are PIERRE DURAND, 59, nominated by the French Equestrian Federation; ULF HELGSTRAND, 63, nominated by the Danish Equestrian Federation, and Swiss nominee PIERRE GENECAND, 64 (HORSETALK, 8/26). ... J.League Chair MITSURU MURAI on Monday "vowed to take swift action over the racist taunting" of Kawasaki Frontale’s Brazilian striker RENATO in a league match on Saturday.
Yokohama F. Marinos "banned a teenage spectator from watching their games indefinitely after he was caught waving a banana at Renato" (KYODO, 8/25). ... Japanese Upper House member and Japanese Olympic Committee official SEIKO HASHIMOTO on Saturday "apologized for trouble caused by a report which claimed she sexually harassed" 2010 Vancouver figure skating Bronze Medalist DAISUKE TAKAHASHI (KYODO, 8/23).
