LIONEL MESSI has "ruled out a move" to the Premier League and insists he intends to finish his career at Barcelona. Newspapers in both Spain and England have "previously reported that he could potentially leave the Catalan club." Messi said, "I've always said that I can't leave Barcelona. It's always my response. I want to finish my career at home and my home is Barcelona" (SKY SPORTS, 1/12). ... Jailed fraudster ALLEN STANFORD said that the embarrassment he caused English cricket chiefs "breaks my heart." In his first interview since being indicted in '09 for carrying out the second largest investment scam in U.S. history -- a crime for which he is serving a 110-year prison term -- the Texan said that he is "very sad" about the damage his conviction did to the sport. In '08 the former billionaire "signed a controversial agreement" with the England & Wales Cricket Board for a multi-million pound series of matches. But the following year the ECB "was left humiliated" when Stanford was charged with fraud worth $8B (BBC, 1/11). ... The Int'l Cricket Council said that Hong Kong cricketer IRFAN AHMED "has been suspended and charged with failing to disclose a match-fixing approach." He faces a ban of up to five years if he is found guilty by an ICC tribunal after "falling foul" of the world governing body's anti-corruption and security unit. Ahmed's lawyer said that his player "was not corrupt and had rejected an approach to fix games from a former Pakistan player" (REUTERS, 1/12). ... The Korea Baseball Organization announced the suspension of two former Samsung Lions baseball players on Friday following allegations that they were “involved in illegal overseas gambling.” OH SEUNG HWAN, 33, and 39-year-old LIM CHANG YONG, currently free agents, have been subjected to a “72-game ban or half a season suspension because of participating in illegal gambling activities in Macau” (KOREA PORTAL, 1/11). ... Guatemalan police announced on Tuesday that they arrested fugitive former Guatemalan Football Federation President BRAYAN JIMENEZ "in connection with a corruption probe." Jimenez has been accused of taking bribes along with former Guatemalan Football Federation Secretary General HECTOR TRUJILLO, "who was arrested last month" in the U.S. (REUTERS, 1/12).
UNPAID CONSULTANT: MO FARAH's controversial coach ALBERTO SALAZAR is still retained as an unpaid consultant to UK Athletics but the double Olympic champion is the "only British athlete who will work with the American." The relationship between Farah, UK Athletics and Salazar "has been a major cause for concern since the American coach was accused of multiple doping violations last summer including plying some of his Nike Oregon Project athletes with drugs." The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency "is due to reveal the findings of its investigation into Salazar's conduct in the coming months" (London TELEGRAPH, 1/11).
SORRY ABOUT THAT: Bayern Munich Manager PEP GUARDIOLA has apologized for putting managers "under pressure" by announcing his intention to move to the Premier League next season. The Spaniard, who will leave Bayern when his contact expires in the summer, has said that he "has received several offers from English clubs." Guardiola said, "It was not my intention to offend anybody. Normally in my career as a trainer and as a player, I respect my colleagues a lot" (BBC, 1/12).
