Italian MotoGP rider VALENTINO ROSSI has withdrawn an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over a penalty imposed for a collision with MARC MARQUEZ in Malaysia, CAS said in a statement. The statement said, "Mr Rossi has now informed the CAS he does not wish to continue with his appeal" (REUTERS, 12/10). ... World heavyweight boxing champion TYSON FURY has been summoned by the British Boxing Board of Control to "explain his recent controversial comments." Fury, 27, "expressed views on women, abortion and homosexuality." He has been asked to "attend a meeting in the new year." No date has yet been finalized for the meeting (BBC, 12/10). ... Wales rugby defense coach SHAUN EDWARDS signed a new deal that keeps him with the team until after the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He had "been linked with an England role" in the wake of STUART LANCASTER's post-2015 World Cup sacking. But Edwards will remain in the role he took up under Wales coach WARREN GATLAND in '08 (BBC, 12/10).
NO EURO: French Football Federation President NOËL LE GRAËT “announced on Thursday the suspension of KARIM BENZEMA from the France national team.” The French int’l is under investigation since November “in connection with a blackmail attempt involving a sex-tape of teammate MATHIEU VALBUENA.” Le Graët: "The FFF cannot be insensitive to what has been heard and printed in the newspapers. So I have decided … and informed DIDIER DESCHAMPS (French national team manager), that Karim Benzema is no longer selectable. He will not be eligible for the Euro without a resolution to the situation.” Le Graët assured that this was a “heartbreaker of a decision.” Benzema tweeted a response saying, "I respect the decision and have confidence in our president" (LE PARISIEN, 12/10).
BREAKING BARRIERS: Hong Kong Premier League club Eastern appointed the "first female coach in Hong Kong football history," handing the reins to 27-year-old CHAN YUEN-TING. Chan, who has an Asian Football Confederation A license and is a coach instructor for the Hong Kong Football Association, will co-lead the team with YEUNG CHING-KWONG starting Wednesday and "will officially take over" next Monday. Yeung will leave to join Meizhou Kejia of China League One. Chan was an assistant coach at Sun Pegasus and Southern and with Hong Kong's women's futsal and 11-a-side int'l teams (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 12/8).
CHOPSTICK THREAT: The Australian Football League has asked Victoria Police to investigate Richmond player DUSTIN MARTIN for "allegedly threatening a woman in a drunken incident last Saturday night." Police have confirmed they are involved as the Richmond and AFL investigations also continue. The AFL said in a statement, "The serious nature of the allegation requires that this matter be referred to the police. If the investigation reveals threatening and violent behaviour, the AFL will take strong action." A Victoria Police spokesperson said, "Police are investigating reports that a woman was threatened by a man at a Chapel Street restaurant at 9.45pm on Saturday." Martin has already apologized to the woman and "admitted he was drunk at the restaurant" (AAP, 12/11).
