Russian Sports Minister VITALY MUTKO was nominated on Tuesday to stand as a candidate to become the new president of the Russian Football Union (RFS). He was put forward by the Federation of Football for the Volgograd Region. Former RFS President NIKOLAI TOLSTYKH was sacked in May "following a vote on his position by RFS officials" (REUTERS, 7/8). ... Former World Anti-Doping Agency President and IOC member DICK POUND said that he "believes the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be ready at the last minute." Pound: "The Games begin on August 5, right? So definitely until midnight on the 4th they will still be working to complete everything" (FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO, 7/9). ... The Indian Sports Ministry has "constituted a committee of experts to probe the current status" of Sports Authority of India centers across the country in the wake of the "shocking" suicide attempts by four young athletes at the SAI center in Alapuzzha, Kerala. Former athlete ASHWINI NACHAPPA has been appointed the chairperson of a committee that includes GOPICHAND, University Grants Commission Secretary JASPAL SANDHU, MALAV SHROFF, former athlete BHOGESHWAR BARUA, BALDEV SINGH and former National Commission for Protection of Child Rights member NEENA P. NAYAK (DECCAN HERALD, 7/9). ... GARBIÑE MUGURUZA became the first Spanish woman to reach the Wimbledon final since '96 as AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA was left "rueing a botched Hawk-Eye challenge" (REUTERS, 7/9).
SEXIST?: English footballer CASEY STONEY has "dismissed the row" over a tweet from the official England FA Twitter account, "rejecting suggestions it was sexist." The tweet, quickly deleted after an online backlash, "welcomed the players home" by saying, "Our Lionesses go back to being mothers, partners and daughters today, but they have taken on another title -- heroes." The message was "widely criticised" on social media. The former England captain said, "I find it incredible that someone would find that sexist. When I came back to this country was I a mum? Yes. Was I a daughter? Yes. To me it was black and white, just facts, and to be called a hero is amazing" (London GUARDIAN, 7/9).
