Bayern Munich women's player and Spanish int'l VERO BOQUETE was named a La Liga ambassador at an event on Monday. The naming of Boquete -- the league's youngest ambassador -- is part of La Liga's continued expansion plans. She said of the progress in the women's game, "We're in the strongest position we've ever been in" (La Liga). ... French Ligue 2 side RC Lens President GERVAIS MARTEL is to “appear before the criminal court in Arras, France” on Tuesday. He is under investigation for “private corruption and the misuse of company assets.” Martel took out two loans for a combined amount of €4M ($4.3M) from construction firms BTP Ramery and Rabot-Dutilleul -- "which have been club sponsors for many years.” The presidents of the companies’ management boards “have also been charged with accepting bribes” (L’ÉQUIPE, 2/29). ... The Malaysia FA (FAM) rejected its president's "request to stand down from his post in the wake of the national team's worst ever defeat." TENGKU ABDULLAH SULTAN AHMAD SHAH, a FIFA exec committee member, "offered to quit" as FAM head after the "humiliating" 10-0 defeat by the UAE in a World Cup qualifier in Abu Dhabi last November (REUTERS, 3/1). ... Cricket Australia announced assistant coach CRAIG MCDERMOTT will "leave his post" following this month's Int'l Cricket Council World T20 Tournament. McDermott, the former Test quick "who began his second coaching stint with Australia in 2013, will return home to focus on his cricket academy, which has bases throughout Queensland and New South Wales." McDermott's exit follows that of batting coach MICHAEL DI VENUTO, who was announced as head coach of English county side Surrey last month (CRICKET, 3/1). ... Colombian footballer JAMES RODRIGUEZ, 24, has been fined €10,400 ($11,300) by the Spanish authorities for "refusing to stop for police." The Real Madrid player was caught speeding on New Year's Day on his way to training, and "refused to stop." Police said that "he was driving at 200km/h (124mph), double the speed limit." The fine is for "refusing to stop when police told him to pull over." The "fine for speeding has yet to be announced" (BBC, 3/1).
FASTEST MAN ON SKIS: Jaguar and Olympic skier GRAHAM BELL announced a technical partnership aimed at setting a Guinness World Record in '17. Graham, now a TV presenter on British TV show "The Jump," hopes to become the fastest man on skis with the support of Jaguar Land Rover engineers, facilities and expertise in aerodynamics (Jaguar).
PÉREZ TO STEP ASIDE?: Real Madrid President FLORENTINO PÉREZ "is reportedly considering ending his second tenure as president of the club." Spanish newspaper El Confidencial reported that "there are leaks from his inner circle that Pérez is seriously considering moving Real's presidential elections to this summer and not running for re-election" (SPORT, 2/29).
BETTING BAN: Romania's football federation banned MARIUS SUMUDICA, coach of league leaders FC Astra, for six months for "placing bets on several domestic and international matches." Sumudica placed bets between €500 ($543) and €900 ($978) on several matches in the Romanian championship, the Champions League, Europa League as well as Romania's junior teams' matches, according to the federation. He was fined 100,000 lei ($24,340) (REUTERS, 3/1).
