The Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) requested an audience with Spanish PM MARIANO RAJOY to address Spanish Superior Sports Council (CSD) President MIGUEL CARDENAL's request to remove GALA LEÓN as captain of Spain's Davis Cup team. The RFET said in a statement, "The RFET received a notice from the CSD in which it demands that the Federation reverse the election of Gala León as captain of the Davis Cup team" (LIBERTAD DIGITAL, 3/18). ... Spanish Basketball League (ACB) side Obradoiro President RAÚL LÓPEZ was arrested as part of an investigation into "possible crimes against Spanish tax authorities" (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 3/19). ... Former 400m world champion AMANTLE MONTSHO "has been banned for two years for doping after testing positive at last year's Commonwealth Games." She indicated that "she will appeal and has a deadline of Wednesday" (BBC, 3/18). ... Former England captain and team Manager MARTIN JOHNSON "offered to advise NFL teams on how to improve their tackling techniques." He believes that "rugby expertise could soon be in demand as American football tries to address its concussion crisis." The Seattle Seahawks "adopted rugby tackling" into its defense, which is rated as one of the best in the sport’s history. Johnson "can see it becoming a trend because the rugby technique removes the head from the collision and is more accurate" (LONDON TIMES, 3/19). ... The All England Lawn Tennis Club apologized "for using the iconic Tennis Girl poster from the 1970s to promote an upcoming exhibition but will still feature the work." The poster featuring model FIONA BUTLER, who was 18 at the time the image was taken, "attracted a flurry of criticism when the official Wimbledon Twitter account included it in a post promoting the Powerful Posters exhibition." Some followers "accused the home of Wimbledon of sexism for highlighting the image." An All England Club spokesperson confirmed that "the poster would remain in the exhibition despite the apology" (London DAILY MAIL, 3/19).
