The Int'l Cricket Council said that Hong Kong all-rounder IRFAN AHMED has been banned for two-and-a-half years for "failing to disclose approaches made to him to engage in corruption." The 26-year-old Pakistan-born cricketer was "provisionally suspended in November" with the ICC's anti-corruption unit investigating his role "in relation to the activities of another suspected offender" (REUTERS, 4/20). ... Former ManU Manager ALEX FERGUSON opened League One side Fleetwood Town's "fantastic" new £8M ($11.5M) ground on Wednesday. The Poolfoot Farm training ground "was a hive of excitement with Ferguson in town and the most decorated manager in English football was full of praise" (London DAILY MAIL, 4/20). ... Team Sky has withdrawn SERGIO HENAO from riding "after concerns about his biological passport data resurfaced." The Colombian said that he was "beyond disappointed," having missed three months in '14 over "similar concerns" (BBC, 4/20). ... The ITF said that a “Croatian umpire who officiated at the US Open while serving a 12-month suspension has been banned for 10 years.” DENIS PITNER was suspended by the ITF last August, but “went on to work as a linesman at the US Open in September,” due to what the USTA said was a “flaw” in its system. The ITF said in a statement that Pitner had now been banned until ’26 (REUTERS, 4/20).
MOURINHO AT OLD TRAFFORD: JOSE MOURINHO will be taking charge of a team at Old Trafford in June -- but "only as part of charity match." The Portuguese coach, "who has been consistently tipped to replace" ManU Manager LOUIS VAN GAAL this summer, "will manage a celebrity England side in this year’s Soccer Aid game." He will be assisted by SAM ALLARDYCE and ROBBIE WILLIAMS. Leicester City Manager CLAUDIO RANIERI "will take charge of of a Rest of the World team." Mourinho: "Sam and I will make a very good partnership and it will be a great feeling for Claudio to finally lose a match!" (London INDEPENDENT, 4/20).
JAVED CONFIRMS EXIT: UAE cricket coach AAQIB JAVED has confirmed he will leave the job at the end of next month "to move back to Pakistan." The "exact nature of his next assignment is still to be confirmed." He is likely to be announced as the director of cricket at Lahore Qalanders, the side that finished last in the first Pakistan Super League, next week. However, there is "still the possibility of him landing the position of Pakistan coach," as he remains the favored candidate to replace WAQAR YOUNIS among "some senior figures within the Pakistan board" (THE NATIONAL, 4/20).
POCHETTINO STALLING: Tottenham Manager MAURICIO POCHETTINO reportedly has the club’s chiefs “feeling nervous as he stalls on new contract talks,” as ManU considers replacing current Manager LOUIS VAN GAAL at the end of a “disappointing season.” The north London club has been “waiting on the Argentine to sign a new long-term deal” worth £5M ($7.2M) a year plus bonuses for weeks, but he has “been putting off talks until the end of the season to concentrate on the club’s title challenge.” With Paris Saint-Germain reportedly "considering a move for out of work former Chelsea boss JOSE MOURINHO," ManU is said to see Pochettino as "a viable alternative -- as well as a much steadier hand on the tiller than the controversial Portuguese boss" (YAHOO SPORTS, 4/20).
