Former ManU Manager DAVID MOYES "is on Inter Milan’s shortlist" as the Italian club scouts Europe for a new manager with current coach WALTER MAZZARRI coming under increasing pressure with the club struggling in Serie A. Indonesian Owner ERICK THOHIR has "stuck by the Napoli boss until now," but the club's board has been split by the desire "to sack Mazzarri now" (London GUARDIAN, 10/26). ... After being "struck last Thursday in the hallway leading to the locker room by the Indian Super League side Atletico Kolkata coach ANTONIO LOPEZ HABBAS, after the defeat of his team (2-1) in the ISL," FC Goa captain ROBERT PIRES has been punished by the Indian Federation. Pires suffered a two-match suspension and a fine of 500,000 Rupees ($8,159) as a result of this attack by the opposing coach. Habbas was suspended for the "next four matches for his part" (SPORT 365, 10/26).
END OF THE SEASON: RAFAEL NADAL “confirmed he will not play again this season and says he will undergo appendix surgery next month.” The 14-time Grand Slam title winner made his announcement "after losing in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors" on Friday. Nadal had "already qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals event, so the Spaniard's withdrawal means the player ranked ninth in the final ATP Race to London rankings will make it through to the season-ending event" at the O2 in Greenwich (BBC, 10/24). ... Former 800m world champion MBULAENI MULAUDZI “has been killed
in a car accident in his native South Africa.” Mulaudzi took 800m gold
at the 2009 world championships in Berlin and won Silver at the 2004
Olympics in Athens. The 34-year-old retired in ‘13. The IOC said
that Mulaudzi was “on his way to a Johannesburg athletics meeting” when he
died (BBC, 10/25).
