Ethiopian Olympic marathon runner FEYISA LILESA "still hopes to compete for his country -- despite being exiled since last summer's Games." Lilesa has been living in the U.S. on a temporary visa after making an "anti-government gesture" when he finished in second place in Rio. He "believes his life would be in danger if he returned to his homeland" (BBC, 1/4). ... Scottish Championship side Morton goalkeeper ANDY MCNEIL is leaving the club "to take up a coaching role in China." McNeil said that the opportunity to join Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F was "too good to turn down." McNeil will join the side managed by former Yugoslavia int'l DRAGAN STOJKOVIC (BBC, 1/4). ... Cricketer MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI "stepped down as captain of the Indian team." Although the next captain was not announced, VIRAT KOHLI, currently captaining the Test team, "will take over the mantle." Dhoni has "unprecedented" success as a limited-overs captain, winning the Int'l Cricket Council World Twenty20 in '07, the ICC World Cup in '11 and the ICC Champions Trophy in '13 (CRICBUZZ, 1/4). ... Tributes poured in for award-winning journalist and WLR FM sports editor KEVIN CASEY after he passed away aged 40 "after a short illness." The Killarney native worked with WLR FM for the past decade and was "extremely popular among his listeners" (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 1/4). ... Chilean midfielder LUCIANO CABRAL, currently playing for Brasileiro side Atlético Paranaense, "turned himself over to Argentine police for questioning about a deadly street fight that took place over the weekend," local media said. Cabral, 21, whose father JOSE CABRAL has been held by police in connection with the fight, "turned himself in late on Tuesday" (REUTERS, 1/4). ... Olympic diving champion JACK LAUGHER has "blamed British Diving after his coach quit his role to join Australia's team." ADRIAN HINCHLIFFE guided Laugher and CHRIS MEARS to Team GB's "first ever" Olympic diving Gold in Rio. Hinchliffe worked for British Diving as a consultant but "wanted to make a full-time switch to prepare for Tokyo 2020." However, British Diving "failed to make an offer and Hinchliffe has joined Australia Diving as head coach" (BBC, 1/3).
