Australian tennis player NICK KYRGIOS has "escaped with a lenient suspended one-month ban" and £15,880 ($24,900) fine following his on-court comments toward STAN WAWRINKA at the Rogers Cup. The 20-year-old caused controversy by "sledging Wawrinka midway throughout their contest in Montreal earlier this month," saying, "Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend…sorry to tell you that, mate" (London DAILY MAIL, 8/25). ... Interim Mexican national football team coach RICARDO FERRETTI said that he will not be the "savior" of the national team ahead of his four-game stint. He stressed his role as Mexico coach "will remain an interim one." Ferretti: "I have not come as a savior or anything -- I come around as interim. At the end of these four games, our commitment ends" (GOAL, 8/24). ... EPL side West Ham striker DIAFRA SAKHO has been arrested "on suspicion of making threats to kill and witness intimidation." He was arrested on Sunday night "before being bailed, having previously been questioned over an alleged assault earlier this month." A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said, "A 25-year-old man was arrested at an address in Emerson Park, Hornchurch. He was taken to an east London police station and bailed pending police enquiries to a date in early October" (IRISH EXAMINER, 8/25). ... Vector Martini Racing announced that male model DAVID GANDY joined its iRace Pro Team. Gandy has already started his training as a powerboat racing pilot and alongside racing, will undertake a World Endurance Record as part of the Vector four-man crew (VMR).
BT EYES PIETERSEN: England cricketer KEVIN PIETERSEN is "sure to be BT's first-choice pundit" for its coverage of the next Ashes series Down Under in '17-18. Pietersen "fits the bill in every respect, having already proved himself a good cricket voice on TV and radio," and would be in Australia at that time of year for the Twenty20 Big Bash, which BT will also be broadcasting. In addition, "KP would be box-office as England return to Australia for the first time since he allegedly caused all those problems on tour," leading to him being banished by the England & Wales Cricket Board (DAILY MAIL, 8/25).
