The MLB N.Y. Yankees have agreed to terms with Dutch infielder DIDI GREGORIUS on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, thus avoiding arbitration (Yankees). ... Top 14 club Clermont Auvergne's VIKTOR KOLELISHVILI "faces a long ban after he was cited for pushing over referee Wayne Barnes in his side's Champions Cup defeat to the Ospreys."
Kolelishvili "caused a storm with his actions and given rugby's respect for match officials, it was a move which is likely to see him in hot water" (WALES ONLINE, 1/18). ... CHRIS GAYLE "launched a stinging attack on critics in a long-winded rant" on Instagram in which he took aim at "past and present" cricketers he claims failed to support him in the aftermath of his infamous post-innings interview.
The 36-year-old West Indian cricketer "rew sharp criticism earlier this month after making a pass" at Network Ten journalist MEL MCLAUGHLIN during a live TV interview (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/20). ... Real Madrid's CRISTIANO RONALDO was featured on the cover of GQ magazine's Body Issue and in a lengthy feature story. That story is available here.
'WORSE THAN FIFA': Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist MICHAEL JOHNSON said that the "corruption scandal plaguing athletics is worse than the one faced by football."
Johnson: "If you think about the victims, it is absolutely worse." Johnson said that those athletes cheated out of medals by dopers "never had the opportunity to stand on the podium -- and they should have."
However, "he stopped short of backing an Olympic ban for Russian athletes later this year." The American, who still holds the world and Olympic records for the 400m, said,
"Do you ban an entire country that ostensibly could include clean athletes, from participating in Rio? That is a very difficult decision to make" (BBC, 1/19).
