Premier League side Crystal Palace player WILFRIED ZAHA has "decided to switch his international allegiance" to the Ivory Coast from England. Zaha was able to make the switch to his country of origin "as his two England caps came in friendlies" (GLOBAL TIMES, 11/28). ... Brasileiro side Santos Manager DORIVAL JUNIOR said that he "held discussions" with the club's board about the possibility of signing ManU midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER. Dorival said, "I told them we should try to get a big name in world football, or at least send an invitation" (REUTERS, 11/28). ... England rugby player ELLIOT DALY "has been banned for three weeks for the dangerous tackle that led to him being sent off after five minutes of Saturday's test against Argentina." Daly, "normally a centre but playing on the wing, was red carded for a dangerous challenge" on Argentina forward LEONARDO SENATORE (REUTERS, 11/28). ... Former youth football coach BARRY BENNELL, who is at the center of a sex abuse scandal, “has been taken to hospital after being found unconscious.” The “convicted sex offender” was found at an address in Knebworth Park, Stevenage, on Friday, Thames Valley Police said. The force said that the 62-year-old was still in hospital (BBC, 11/28). ... Russian chess player YURI YELISEYEV, 20, died after “apparently plunging from a balcony on the 12th floor of a Moscow apartment block.” A fellow chess player, DANIIL DUBOV, said that Yeliseyev “had been trying to reach another balcony but slipped.” Yeliseyev reportedly practiced parkour. Police quoted by Gazeta.ru news website said that the marks on his body “pointed to his having plunged from the 12th-floor balcony on Saturday night” (BBC, 11/28).
