Former footballer DALIAN ATKINSON has "died after being shot with a taser by police in Shropshire." West Mercia Police said that officers "responded to a report of concern for the safety of a man" at about 1:30am local time in the Trench area of Telford. A taser "was used on the 48-year-old man and after receiving medial help, he was pronounced dead" at about 3:00am. Paramedics said that he "went into cardiac arrest on his way to hospital." The death has been "referred to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission" (BBC, 8/15). ... The Sri Lankan president of the Galle District Cricket Association has been "assassinated five days after his organisation hosted the Australians in the second Test." The businessman had reportedly only "recently won office and was involved in a bitter dispute about the elections, which had been challenged by Sri Lanka Cricket." H.G. PREMASIRI was "pulling up in a car when two men in a white van opened fire with a machine gun on Friday night, according to police." His 10-year-old son "was also in the vehicle but it is unsure whether he was injured" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/16). ... Germany striker LUKAS PODOLSKI has "announced his retirement from international football." The Polish-born 31-year-old "helped his country win the 2014 World Cup, and scored 48 goals in a 129-cap career" (BBC, 8/15). ... Russian Tennis Federation President SHAMIL TARPISHCHEV said that MARIA SHARAPOVA could be "permitted to return to competitive tennis as early as January." Sharapova was banned for two years by the Int'l Tennis Federation "after testing positive for banned substance meldonium in January." Tarpishchev said on Monday that "he was confident the 29-year-old's ban would not stretch as long as two years." Tarpishchev: "Everything will be decided in September. It is impossible to say for certain but I think she will start playing again by January" (SKY SPORTS, 8/15).
