New Zealand multipurpose left-wing JOE ROKOCOKO extended his contract with French rugby side Bayonne "for three seasons, through ’18." The former All-Black "justified his extension by saying he has confidence that the new staff will bring the Basque club to new heights and that he and his family feel good in Bayonne" (FRANCE TV SPORT, 10/27). ... South African JOHN LAFFNIE DE JAGER will lead Int'l Premier Tennis League side UAE Royals in the inaugural season which will run from Nov. 28-Dec. 13. The other three coaches will be JOSH EAGLE with the Singapore Slammers, FABRICE SANTORO with New Delhi-based Micromax India Aces and TREAT HUEY with the Manila Mavericks (GULF NEWS, 10/28). ... Police will take "no further action" against Liverpool striker MARIO BALOTELLI over claims he used "threatening behaviour" against a woman taking pictures of his car (BBC, 10/28). ... South African female boxer PHINDILE MWELASE died after "being in a coma for two weeks following a bout, another sports death in a country already mourning the loss of a former world-champion runner and the captain of the national football team" (AP, 10/29). ... China's "newly-crowned" World Cup table tennis winner ZHANG JIKE was "fined his entire prize money of $45,000" after "destroying two advertising boards while celebrating victory in Sunday's final." Zhang regained the World Cup title he won in Paris three years ago and "celebrated the tense victory by putting his foot through two boards" (London TELEGRAPH, 10/28).
IN SPAIN: Spanish Judge JOSÉ MANUEL MARTÍNEZ BORREGO has dismissed Barcelona's "civil
liability case" against former club president JOAN LAPORTA and
his
board. The club "instigated proceedings in an attempt to recoup" €47.6M
in "undeclared losses relating to Laporta's seven-year term at the helm
of the club, which were calculated when the new board took office." The
verdict "means that, for now, Laporta and 16 of his former
directors are off the hook with regards to repaying the sum in question, although the club could yet appeal" (MARCA, 10/28). ... A Madrid court has processed a claim filed by Spanish Revenue Department Dir SOLEDAD GARCÍA LÓPEZ against Spanish Football League (LFP) President JAVIER TEBAS for "publicly insulting Spain's tax authorities." Tebas "has been called to appear in court on Dec. 15." The complaint is related to comments Tebas made on Sept. 12, when he "claimed that the economic control system imposed on clubs 'reduced the debt, but someone from the tax authorities wants to liquidate the clubs'" (AS, 10/28). ... Spanish Basketball League side Laboral Kutxa Vitoria announced Tuesday the signing of SASHA VUJACIC for the remainder of the season. The two-time NBA champion -- with the Lakers in ’09 and ’10 -- began the year with Italian basketball club Reyer Venezia Mestre, "where he scored 11 points on average over five games" (L’EQUIPE, 10/28). ... Real Madrid "dominated the list of winners" at the Spanish Football League (LFP) awards. CRISTIANO RONALDO "was the evening's big individual winner, taking home the trophies for best forward, best overall player and best goal." KEYLOR NAVAS, SERGIO RAMOS and LUKA MODRIC won awards "for best goalkeeper, defender and midfielder respectively." ANDRES INIESTA "won the award of best attacking midfielder, the only prize for Barcelona" (AS, 10/28).
