The National Rugby League is "investigating after BRYCE CARTWRIGHT was targeted in social media posts." The former girlfriend of Penrith player Cartwright was arrested on Tuesday afternoon "after a complaint was made to police on Monday." BRITTANY HURA, 24, was "charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend and stalk/intimidate with the intent to cause physical harm" (STUFF, 12/13). ... Man City midfielder YAYA TOURÉ has "pleaded guilty to drink-driving," but said that he had not "intentionally consumed alcohol." The Ivory Coast int'l, 33, accepts he was "above the permitted limit," and did not challenge the charge. He was fined £54,000 ($68,390) and banned from driving for 18 months by Barkingside magistrates (BBC, 12/13). ... CRISTIANO RONALDO has won the Ballon d'Or award for the fourth time, "capping a season in which his Portugal side won Euro 2016 and his club, Real Madrid, took the Champions League." Ronaldo said, "The emotion is like the first one. It's the dream come true again." Ronaldo is "now one short" of Barcelona's LIONEL MESSI’s record tally of five. Messi "finished second this time." Atlético Madrid’s ANTOINE GRIEZMANN came third, with Leicester City’s JAMIE VARDY finishing eighth and his teammate RIYAD MAHREZ seventh (London GUARDIAN, 12/12). ... Former jockey WALTER SWINBURN died on Monday aged 55. Swinburn "shot to fame at the age of 19 when partnering Shergar to glory at Epsom." In all, Swinburn won eight classics, including a third Derby on Lammtarra in '95, with the St. Leger "being the only one of the five classics to elude him." He was "never champion jockey but there were few big races that he failed to win in Britain" (LONDON TIMES, 12/13).
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Britain's ANDY MURRAY and Germany's ANGELIQUE KERBER were named Int'l Tennis Federation World Champions on Tuesday, "capping stellar years" for the men's and women's world No. 1s. Murray's brother JAMIE was "named doubles World Champion along with Brazil's BRUNO SOARES." Andy won nine titles in a "milestone year" that ended with him beating NOVAK DJOKOVIC to win the ATP Tour Finals. Kerber becomes the "first German to win the award since STEFFI GRAF claimed the last of her seven" in '96 (REUTERS, 12/13).
MEETING HIS IDOL: Messi met the Afghan child who "became an internet sensation after being photographed in an Argentina shirt made from a plastic bag earlier this year." MURTAZA AHMADY, who is now six, "went viral in February when an image emerged of him wearing the striped carrier bag with Messi's famous No. 10 on the back." Ahmady "had the chance" to meet the Barcelona player in Qatar, where the club played a friendly against Al-Ahli. Murtaza said, "I'm very happy to have met my hero. It is a dream for me." Ahmady was "one of the player escorts" and walked out onto the pitch alongside Messi (ESPN.com, 12/13).
