LI NA's agaent MAX EISBENBUD "denied" on Wednesday that the Chinese tennis player "would retire during the upcoming Asian season." Eisenbud: "She is not retiring" (CHINA DAILY, 9/3). ... La Liga side Getafe midfielder PEDRO LEON's "future is uncertain after his club
opted not to register him for the new La Liga season for financial
reasons." Getafe's budget under the La Liga
authorities' "newly introduced regulations" is €17M ($22.1M), and it was
"apparently decided not to include the former Real Madrid player as his
relatively big salary would have taken them over that limit." Leon is now "unregistered to play for any club until January at the earliest, although he will reportedly take a case against both the club and La Liga" (ESPN, 9/4). ... Two-time Olympic wrestling champion SIM KWON-HO "will be inducted into this year's International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) Hall of Fame." Sim, who is the only South Korean wrestler to win back-to-back Olympic Gold Medals in 1996 and 2000, "will become the first Asian to be inducted into the Hall of Fame" (KOREA TIMES, 9/4). ... India's tennis campaign at the Asian Games "appears to be falling apart" even before the start as doubt over ROHAN BOPANNA's participation since the doubles player "is keen to salvage his 2014 pro season by playing on the ATP Tour instead." If Bopanna "decides to opt out of the Indian squad, it will be the country's second big loss" as singles player SOMDEV DEVVARMAN "has already pulled out of the event due to same reason" (DECCAN HERALD, 9/4). ... Jockey JAMIE MOORE will be the ambassador for London Racecourses for the '14-15 National Hunt Season (SKY SPORTS, 9/4).
NO HARM NO FOUL? Williams F1 driver FELIPE MASSA said that F1 stewards "should have punished" championship leader NICO ROSBERG after he collided with Mercedes teammate LEWIS HAMILTON in Belgium and "destroyed" his race. The Brazilian "came out strongly in support of his old rival when he met reporters ahead of Sunday's Italian Grand Prix." Massa:
"What I saw in the last race maybe was not really so correct from Nico, to be honest. I don’t understand why they (the stewards) didn’t give a penalty to him because it was impossible to pass Lewis on that place" (REUTERS, 9/4).
