Former cricketer SACHIN TENDULKAR on Tuesday accepted the Indian Olympic Association's invitation to be one of the goodwill ambassadors for the Indian contingent at this year's Summer Olympics. Tendulkar will now join Bollywood actor SALMAN KHAN and Indian shooter ABHINAV BINDRA to become "the third goodwill ambassador" (ANI, 5/3). ... Former Al Jazira and Al Wasl footballer LUCAS NEILL has reportedly been declared bankrupt in the U.K. The 38-year-old, who captained Australia and had a "long spell in the Premier League in England," earned an estimated $40M in his two-decade career from '95-14. London-based insolvency firm Begbies Traynor "were appointed trustees to the bankruptcy last week" (GULF NEWS, 5/2). ... Swimmer PARK TAE-HWAN is "still waiting to hear" from the Korean Olympic Committee on whether it will "drop a controversial rule that has tacked on three years to his doping ban" imposed by the Int'l Swimming Federation (FINA), his management team said on Tuesday. Critics of the regulation "say it punishes an athlete twice" for the same offense and there have been suggestions the swimmer "could take his case" to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (REUTERS, 5/2).
COSTLY MISTAKE: Red Bull F1 driver DANIIL KYVAT’s "moment of madness at the start of the Russian Grand Prix will cost him his job" in '17, according to reports. The Red Bull driver has already apologized to his team and rival SEBASTIAN VETTEL after "smashing into the back of the Ferrari driver." Kvyat’s future at Red Bull was "reportedly fragile before the Russian race -- and his costly error has now sealed his fate," according to long-time Formula 1 journalist JAMES ALLEN. Red Bull bosses are reportedly "keen to promote teenage sensation" MAX VERSTAPPEN to the senior team (NEWS.COM.AU, 5/3).
NOTABLE DEATH: Rugby League Hall of Fame member ROGER MILLWARD died at the age of 68. A Great Britain and England representative with 29 and 17 caps respectively, Millward was "a hugely successful player and coach" and was already an int'l when he joined Hull Kingston Rovers from Castleford in '66. He went on to "become an icon of the game during his spell at Craven Park," scoring a club record 207 tries and kicking 607 goals. After his retirement from playing, he coached the Robins for another 11 seasons. He was awarded the MBE for his services to rugby league in '83 and inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in '00 (ITV, 5/3).
