UFC President DANA WHITE has revealed CONOR MCGREGOR is not "back on the UFC 200 card." McGregor took to Twitter "in the early hours to announce he was back on the bill following a dispute over promotional duties ahead of a proposed rematch with NATE DIAZ." McGregor tweeted, "Happy to announce that I am BACK on UFC 200!" However, White told the Los Angeles Times by text message that a deal for his return has not been reached and the report is "not true" (London DAILY MIRROR, 4/25). ... LOUIS VAN GAAL winning the FA Cup "should be enough" to keep him in the ManU job next season, despite JOSE MOURINHO "being linked with the job." However, "there is still an enormous amount of speculation and gossip that the Portuguese will be in charge" at Old Trafford in '16-17, with some claiming he has "even signed a deal at the club already" (London INDEPENDENT, 4/25). ... Olympic champion speed skater LEE SANG-HWA, 27, "has been appointed an honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics." Lee is often referred to as the "speed skating empress" (KOREA TIMES, 4/25). .... EPL side Leicester City stiker JAMIE VARDY will miss his team's clash with ManU on Sunday "after being handed" an additional one-match suspension for verbally abusing referee JON MOSS during the 2-2 against West Ham earlier this month (London INDEPENDENT, 4/25).
GROUNDED: India has canceled the passport of drinks baron VIJAY MALLYA, as New Delhi "intensifies pressure" on the man once known as the "King of Good Times" over alleged corruption related to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. New Delhi had revoked Mallya’s passport "in light of a criminal investigation into suspected misuse of loans to the defunct airline." The "flamboyant" Mallya, whose interests have ranged from alcoholic beverages to aviation to cricket and Formula One racing, "is locked in a bitter battle with banks" over $1.3B in unpaid debts following the collapse of Kingfisher four years ago (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/24).
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Leicester City winger RIYAD MAHREZ became the "first African to be named English football's player of the year on Sunday, straight after the Algerian helped his team close in on the Premier League title." Mahrez was flown by helicopter to the Professional Footballers' Association ceremony in London "after scoring his 17th goal of Leicester's astonishing title charge as the leaders beat Swansea 4-0." Mahrez was on a "six-man shortlist including Leicester teammates JAMIE VARDY and N'GOLO KANTE." Mahrez is "only the second winner of the PFA award from outside England" (AP, 4/24).
