World No. 1 and Ryder Cup winner RORY MCILROY "returned to his native Northern Ireland to open Daisy Lodge in Newcastle, County Down, a therapeutic short-break centre." The 25-year-old four-time major winner promised that "this was only the beginning of his work and that he would like to see it happen elsewhere." McIlroy: "I definitely think it is a project I would like to see replicated and I think can be replicated." Daisy Lodge, the first of its kind in the U.K. and Ireland, "will provide every family in Northern Ireland affected by childhood cancer a therapeutic short break -- it will also welcome children from the Republic of Ireland." McIlroy: "It is about giving back and being able to help others" (London INDEPENDENT, 10/8). ... Former Chilean Football Federation President HAROLD MAYNE-NICHOLLS, who led FIFA’s inspection of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding nations, "is considering challenging" FIFA President SEPP BLATTER to become the body’s president. Nicholls has until late January "to submit his candidacy" for the FIFA election in May. He said that he is "studying the situation." Nicholls: "It is a possibility at the moment" (AP, 10/8). ... Indian sprinter DUTEE CHAND formally started a Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal "against her indefinite ban from competition." The 18-year-old "missed the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games after failing a so-called 'gender test' this summer." But campaigners "have rallied around the Indian champion, pointing out that her elevated levels of testosterone are entirely natural." Chand's appeal "is the first to challenge rules" the Int'l Association of Athletics Federations introduced in the wake of the CASTER SEMENYA affair in '09. The South African teenager "was revealed to have failed a gender test shortly before winning the 800m at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin" (BBC, 10/7).
DOWN TO FIVE: The Ghana FA announced that it has narrowed its coaching search to five candidates from the 18 that applied in September. The candidates are Dutchman PATRICK KLUIVERT, Israeli AVRAM GRANT, Italian MARCO TARDELLI, Swiss MICHAEL PONT and Spaniard JUAN IGNACIO MARTINEZ JIMENEZ. The GFA announced the dismissal of KWESI APPIAH as head of the national team on Sept. 12. As the leader of the Black Stars since '12, the Ghanaians qualified for the Brazilian World Cup but were eliminated in the first round after two losses and one draw. The bad performances continued into the first game of CAN-2015 qualifying with a disappointing 1-1 decision at home against Uganda on Sept. 6. Despite a 3-2 victory against Togo on Sept. 10, Appiah was dismissed (AFP, 10/8).
