Formula 1 world champion LEWIS HAMILTON has been nominated for the title of Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. He is in the running for the award, along with LIONEL MESSI, USAIN BOLT, NOVAK DJOKOVIC, golfer JORDAN SPIETH and NBA Golden State Warriors guard STEPHEN CURRY. The winners will be announced at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Berlin on April 18 (BBC, 3/2). ... Serie A side Bologna CEO CLAUDIO FENUCCI was "involved in a car crash and broke his arm." The club will be without one of its managers for some time as "reports suggest that the injury is serious, but not critical." A club statement said that Fenucci is currently "in a stable condition" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 3/2). ... Hong Kong's former world champion cyclist KWOK HO-TING is "planning to retire just as his teammates prepare to battle" for int'l honors at the World Track Championships, which start in London on Wednesday. Kwok said, "My lower back injury has stopped me from training for a long time, leaving me little choice but to head towards retirement. I have been in full-time training for 10 years and have little regrets over my career" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 3/1).
COURT RULES IN JOHNSON CASE: Former England footballer ADAM JOHNSON "has been found guilty of one sexual activity with a child and not guilty of a second count." Johnson, 28, was told by Judge JONATHAN ROSE a custodial sentence is an "almost inevitable outcome" after being found guilty of sexual activity with the 15-year-old girl. Sentencing will be in two to three weeks. Johnson "admitted grooming and sexual activity with the teenager, relating to kissing her in his Range Rover, but denied the two more serious charges of sexual activity with a child" (YAHOO, 3/2).
