A look at the top names in the news in '15:
The career of CRISTIANO RONALDO will "be the subject of a class in the sociology department" at University of British Columbia. Professor LUIS AGUIAR "created a course about the player" in which he will "use Ronaldo as an example to explain 'how a football legend is constructed.'"
Argentine footballer JUAN ROMÁN RIQUELME has "hung up his boots" after 18 years. Riquelme was a five-time league champion with Argentine first division side Boca Juniors. He played one season for Barcelona and had 51 caps with the Argentine national team.
Australian cyclist ROHAN DENNIS "has broken the world hour record, completing 52.491 kilometres on the track in Grenchen on Sunday." The 24-year-old BMC Racing rider "broke the previous mark of 51.852km" set by Austrian MATHIAS BRÄNDLE in Aigle, Switzerland in October.
Philippine basketball authorities "sacked and fined an American import for ridiculing" boxer MANNY PACQUIAO's quest to become a professional basketballer. Former NBA player DANIEL ORTON "hit the headlines” after playing against Pacquiao in the local pro-league, a game in which the 1.69-meter (5 foot-6 inch) boxing champion scored “a solitary point." Orton: "Professional boxer, yeah, okay ... professional basketball player, no. It's a joke." His comments "were too much for Philippine basketball chiefs." His team "sacked Orton late last week."
Former Sheffield United and Wales footballer CHED EVANS is “resigned to not returning to the game until the '16-17 season, with no decision imminent” from the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which is examining his rape conviction. This case has “been under review by the CCRC since July but was fast-tracked in the autumn.”
Respects were paid to F1 driver ARYTON SENNA on Saturday, which would have been his 55th birthday. Senna’s nephew, driver BRUNO SENNA, as well as the McLaren team "reminisced" about the driver who passed away at the San Marino Grand Prix in '94. McLaren posted on its official site, "It's impossible to imagine the Brazilian pushing into his second half-century, a quiet figure in the modern F1 paddock with flecks of grey in his hair and creases lined into his face. Impossible because like all those who die young, his legacy and image remain so immovably tied to his time that there's just no escaping that permanence of youth.”
New Zealand cricketer DANIEL VETTORI confirmed what "many expected in announcing his retirement from international cricket upon the team's return from the World Cup." The 36-year-old former captain had been "widely expected to retire from international cricket at the conclusion of New Zealand's involvement in the tournament."
Scottish Premiership side St. Mirren captain STEVEN THOMPSON was "mortified" after a "foolish prank during a training session" left a teammate with a gaping wound. Thompson threw a spiked pole at 20-year-old JOHN MCGINN after he "robbed him of the ball and it struck him on the thigh, causing severe bleeding." Thompson: "It was a daft prank."
The Portuguese parliament confirmed that the body of former Portuguese footballer EUSÉBIO will be reburied at the country's National Pantheon "before reaching three years" after his passing. The reburial will occur on July 3. Eusébio was granted "the honor" on Feb. 20; however, doubt arose over whether the footballer "could be reburied before reaching three years" after his passing, as determined by a national "ordinance on the burial and reburial of bodies."
RAFAEL NADAL was awarded Paris' prestigious "Grand Vermeil" medal by Paris Mayor ANNE HIDALGO in a "lavish ceremony at City Hall on Thursday."
Former England footballer SOL CAMPBELL "confirmed his intention to become the next Mayor of London." The ex-Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur defender said he could "bring something new to the table" as the Conservative nomination. He said that he wanted to "change London for everybody" but acknowledged he would not be a "frontrunner."
People familiar with the situation said that Warner Bros. and Oscar winner BEN AFFLECK will "make a movie about the FIFA scandal." They said that the Burbank, Calif.-based studio "acquired the rights to 'Houses of Deceit,'" the story of former FIFA Exec CHUCK BLAZER. Warner Bros. is "banking on doing better than FIFA's own film account of the global soccer federation’s history." "United Passions," released in the U.S. on June 5, has taken in less than $200,000 in worldwide ticket sales, according to Rentrak Corp. data. Affleck, MATT DAMON and their production company, Pearl Street, are "among the producers, according to the Hollywood Reporter."
Triple F1 champion NIKI LAUDA agreed with LEWIS HAMILTON's comments about "ugly" F1 trophies but said that they were so bad in his day that he "swapped them for a lifetime of free car washes." Lauda said, "I binned them all, you're absolutely right, because in my time they were most of them ugly and for me useless." Lauda said that he had "given trophies to his local garageman." Lauda: "I said 'If you give me a free car wash for the rest of my life you can have all of them.’"
The pall bearers at JULES BIANCHI's funeral were "some of the best known names in motor racing" -- Williams driver FELIPE MASSA, Ferrari driver SEBASTIAN VETTEL and Williams reserve driver ADRIAN SUTIL, who was "closest to the moment" when Bianchi's car smashed into the back of a recovery tractor "in an accident that eventually claimed his life." F1 gathered to "say farewell to one of their own." Crowds of "well-wishers gathered outside the Cathedral of Sainte Reparate in Nice's old town." There were "ripples of applause when the coffin appeared, Bianchi's colourful race helmet on top," and the bells of the Gothic cathedral tolled as PHILIPPE and CHRISTINE, Bianchi's parents, and TOM and MELANIE, his brother and sister, "greeted the luminaries from the sport he loved." Mercedes driver LEWIS HAMILTON arrived alongside NICO ROSBERG, his teammate and rival for this year's championship, followed by FIA President JEAN TODT, who is "also a family friend."
Mexican President ENRIQUE PEÑA NIETO on Saturday afternoon inaugurated Liga MX side Monterrey's new BBVA Bancomer Stadium at an event "attended by around 400 people, including businessmen and special guests." Peña Nieto, beverage company FEMSA Administrative Council Exec President JOSÉ ANTONIO FERNÁNDEZ CARBAJAL and Nuevo Leon Governor RODRIGO MEDINA DE LA CRUZ attended the inauguration.
Tennis player DONNA VEKIC has "hit out at the decision" to give NICK KYRGIOS a suspended ban from tennis after his "controversial on-court sledge" toward STANISLAS WAWRINKA. The ATP fined Kyrgios around £22,000 ($33,900) and gave him a suspended ban of 28 days. Vekic, 19, said, "He didn't get suspended. It's ridiculous. No more comment on this.”
With the next U.S.-Mexico match on the docket for Oct. 10, when they will "do battle in Pasadena with a single ticket to the 2017 Confederations Cup on the line," Mexico has taken the "emotional lead in this one." TV Azteca, which will air the game in Mexico, has started airing a promo that splices U.S. presidential candidate DONALD TRUMP's "jingoistic, anti-Mexican immigration message" with footage of CUAUHTÉMOC BLANCO and GIOVANI DOS SANTOS signing in Major League Soccer.
Former Real Madrid keeper IKER CASILLAS "appears to have been one of the many people affected by the 'Bankia case.'" He reportedly has taken legal action to recover his money, "feeling defrauded." He invested €240,000 in the bank under his name and another €240,000 in the name of his Ikerca S.L business. Through his legal representatives, he has filed two separate claims.
Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN spent his 63rd birthday on the ice Wednesday, playing hockey with NHL players "against Russian officials and tycoons." Putin "scored seven goals as his star-studded team," which included former NHL players VYACHESLAV FETISOV and PAVEL BURE, won the game 15-10. The opposing team included Defense Minister SERGEI SHOIGU as well as Putin's close friends -- tycoons GENNADY TIMCHENKO and ARKADY ROTENBERG.
RAÚL "is to retire from football next month after finishing the current season" with the N.Y. Cosmos of the North American Soccer League, a level below Major League Soccer, in December.
Real Madrid striker KARIM BENZEMA was arrested on Wednesday after being "accused of blackmail in relation to a sex video" allegedly featuring MATHIEU VALBUENA, his fellow France int'l. The player arrived at a police station in Versailles, near Paris, shortly before 9am and "was placed in detention, the local prosecutor confirmed." The case revolves around an "alleged X-rated video featuring the Lyon player and his partner -- however the existence of the recording has not been confirmed." Valbuena complained to police in June that he had received an anonymous telephone call while he was with the French national side demanding €150,000 ($162,900) or "the sex tape would be posted online.”
Former Gold Coast rugby player KEVIN GORDON is "about to embark on an acting career." Having retired from rugby league due to ongoing injuries, the "winger's love for film and television has sparked his next career move."
The contenders for this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or Award for the best player of '15 and for the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year 2015 Award have been announced. The nominees for the FIFA Ballon d'Or are: CRISTIANO RONALDO (Portugal/Real Madrid), LIONEL MESSI (Argentina/Barcelona) and NEYMAR (Brazil/Barcelona). The Women's Award nominees are: CARLI LLOYD (U.S./Houston Dash), AYA MIYAMA (Japan/Okayama Yunogo Belle) and CÉLIA ŠAŠIĆ (Germany/FFC Frankfurt).
ANDY MURRAY "became just the fourth person to be named Sports Personality of the Year twice as the BBC was spared the nightmare of TYSON FURY taking home a prize." Fears the outspoken 27-year-old would end up on stage with Murray in Belfast "proved unfounded" as rugby league player KEVIN SINFIELD and heptathlon competitor JESSICA ENNIS-HILL "finished second and third, respectively." The Davis Cup side was named Team of the Year "and they were only denied a clean sweep when Northern Ireland Manager MICHAEL O'NEILL was named Coach of the Year.”
