Liga MX side América coach RICARDO LA VOLPE "will remain with the club for at least six more months." América Sporting President RICARDO PELÁEZ announced the news on Thursday, saying, "La Volpe and his staff will fulfill their contract through June, at least, so that there is no more speculation on whether he is leaving" (LA AFICIÓN, 12/8). ... Former Nicaraguan Football Federation President JULIO ROCHA has "pleaded guilty in New York in the corruption scandal that has engulfed the sport's governing body." Rocha pleaded guilty to "racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy on Wednesday in federal court." The case is part of a "sprawling prosecution that triggered turmoil at FIFA." Authorities said that Rocha "negotiated and accepted bribes" totaling more than $150,000 linked to the sale of marketing rights (AP, 12/7). ... Double Olympic taekwondo champion JADE JONES "could be tempted by a big-money move to MMA" after the Tokyo 2020 Games. Jones, 23, "defended her Olympic crown at Rio 2016 and is aiming to become the first fighter in history to win three Olympic Gold Medals in the sport." She said, "I'm not going to lie, it's tempting to think, 'What else is out there?' and in MMA people earn millions. Taekwondo is an Olympic sport so it's hard to get sponsors and hard to make money, but I just love it" (BBC, 12/8). ... Former South African FA President KIRSTEN NEMATANDANI was "banned for five years by FIFA's ethics committee on Thursday in connection with a match-fixing scandal" involving his country's national team in '10. FIFA's ethics watchdog also "handed life bans" to former Zimbabwe FA official JONATHAN MUSAVENGANA and former Togo national team coach BANNA TCHANILE for "alleged bribery and corruption violations connected to the same case" (REUTERS, 12/8). ... South African referee CRAIG JOUBERT, who took charge of the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, has "decided to retire from officiating the 15-man game and take up a role with governing body World Rugby." The 39-year-old from Durban, who has refereed 69 tests since '03, will "continue to take charge of sevens matches in addition to his job as World Rugby's Referee Talent Development Coach." He said, "This was not a decision I took lightly given the obvious lure of possibly refereeing the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand next year as well as the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019" (REUTERS, 12/8).