Russian pole vaulter YELENA ISINBAYEVA said that she will "run for president of the Russian athletics federation (ARAF)." Isinbayeva, who is "unable to compete at the Rio Olympics due to a doping ban on Russia's athletics team," said on Thursday that she "wanted to help her country's athletes return to elite competition" (REUTERS, 8/11). ... India’s SANIA MIRZA and Swiss veteran MARTINA HINGIS, the world’s top ranked doubles team, "announced Wednesday their intention to split, although they will reform for the end-of-season WTA Championships." The pair "started playing together in 2015 and won their first three tournaments before capturing the 2015 Wimbledon and US Open titles as well as this year’s Australian Open." It is understood that Hingis "will now play with COCO VANDEWEGHE" of the U.S. while Mirza joins up with BARBORA STRYCOVA of the Czech Republic for the remainder of the regular season (AFP, 8/11). ... Former Real Madrid, Tottenham and Newcastle defender JONATHAN WOODGATE "will take up a scouting role with Liverpool," sources close to the club said. Woodgate, 36, retired at the end of last season after "helping hometown club Middlesbrough achieve promotion to the Premier League." The former England int'l will scout for Liverpool in Spain and Portugal (ESPN.com, 8/11). ... Former Pakistan cricket captain HANIF MOHAMMAD, who was dubbed "Little Master" years before "the sobriquet was given" to India’s SACHIN TENDULKAR, has died at the age of 81, world cricket’s governing body said on Thursday. Mohammad "played in Pakistan’s first ever test match and scored 3,915 runs in 55 tests." He is "best known for playing the longest innings in test cricket." In '58, he batted for 970 minutes to make 337 runs against West Indies (REUTERS, 8/11).
