French tennis player JONATHAN EYSSERIC (World No. 242) has "created a participatory pot to raise funds in order to travel next season" with his coach DIDIER LANNE and his personal trainer FABIER LEFAUCHEUX. Due to a "lack of means," Eysseric was only able to travel to the tournaments at the end of the season. In exchange for donations, the tennis player "promises his donors engagements all over France to 'exchange on and off the field'" during his training weeks with his coach (EUROSPORT, 11/10). ... Ligue 1 side FC Nantes announced the death of its former president KLÉBER BOBIN. Under Bobin's leadership from ’99-’01, the club "won the French Cup twice as well as the title of Ligue 1 champion" in ’01 (SPORT 24, 11/12). ... The Int’l Rugby Board has announced the names of 5 players nominated to "grab the title of 2014 Rugby Player of the Year." The players in contention include: WILLIE LE ROUX (South Africa), BRODIE RETALLICK (New Zealand), JULIAN SAVEA (New Zealand), JONATHAN SEXTON (Ireland), and DUANE VERMEULEN (South Africa). One of these five players will succeed the All Black flanker KIERAN READ, who won the title last year (SPORT 24, 11/12). ... SARITA DEVI's amateur boxing career "could be finished" after her "unacceptable" behavior at the Incheon Asian Games, when she "refused to accept her bronze medal on the podium." Amateur Int'l Boxing Association President CHING-KUO WU said, "It was totally unacceptable behaviour for any competition in any sport. I think her boxing career is finished" (REUTERS, 11/12). ... FIFA’s World Cup hospitality partner Match Services AG Exec Dir RAY WHELAN -- facing trial in Brazil for scalping World Cup tickets, money laundering and racketeering -- has been given permission to leave the country temporarily for the first time since his arrest in July. Whelan, who denies the charges against him, was arrested twice in raids around the July 14 World Cup final (BLOOMBERG, 11/12). ... Kiwi cricket commentator IAN SMITH “took the experience to a whole new level” when he watched -- and commentated -- a cricket ball smashing into his rental live on air. An excited Smith was “calling a huge six, when things turned sour.” Smith said, "That's out of the ground, that's gone, it's downtown… It's on my car! It is! I think it hit my car! Oh, the downside of getting a park so close! Oh, no” (THE AGE, 11/12). ... Romanian football club Dinamo Bucharest coach FLAVIUS STOICAN has become the 13th coach to “quit or be sacked in less than four months” in the 18-team Romanian league. The former Romania defender on Wednesday left the 18-time champions after being in charge for less than 14 months (REUTERS, 11/12).
NOWITZKI REACHES MILESTONE: NBA Dallas Mavericks player DIRK NOWITZKI became the NBA's top int'l scorer of all time. With 23 points against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night, he reached 26,953, breaking HAKEEM OLAJUWON's record. Nowitzki is now in ninth place on the NBA's all-time list (NBA).
GROSJEAN STAYING AT LOTUS?: F1 driver ROMAIN GROSJEAN "has appeared to have inadvertently confirmed he will be staying at Lotus next season." An
announcement that the Frenchman is remaining at Enstone team for a
fourth straight campaign "has been expected for several weeks and on
Wednesday afternoon Grosjean duly tweeted the news from his personal
account." However, he "appears to have jumped the
gun with the tweet" and accompanying message -- "Proud to announce I’ll be
racing with@Lotus_F1Team in #2015" -- as it was "promptly then deleted
from his account" (SKY SPORTS, 11/12). Lotus responded to the tweet sent out by Grosjean on Wednesday. A Lotus spokesperson said it was "a communication error," but that it was not “a secret that the two parties are close to an agreement.” It will likely be a few days before Grosjean is "officially announced as the first Frenchman to be renewed for next season" (F1I, 11/12).
