Welsh int'l rugby player SAM WARBURTON is to be named British & Irish Lions captain "for the second tour running." Warburton, 28, suffered a "low-grade medial ligament strain" playing for Pro12 side Cardiff Blues against Ulster nine days ago and is "only expected to have one game to prove his fitness before the squad departs for New Zealand at the end of May" (NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 4/18). ... Former All Black NICK EVANS will retire at the end of the northern hemisphere season. Evans: "I thought leaving New Zealand was hard, but leaving the game I've played since I was eight years old, and professionally for 17 years, is tough. But when you know, you know." Evans has played for Premiership side Harlequins in England since the '08-09 season (STUFF, 4/18). ... Australia rugby int'l DREW MITCHELL announced his retirement from rugby after 71 tests for the Wallabies. Mitchell "will play out the rest of the season" with Top14 side Toulon (REUTERS, 4/18). ... Argentine football exec MARCELO TINELLI on Monday "stepped down from his roles with the Argentine FA and Argentine first division side San Lorenzo." He announced in a statement on Facebook, "After many years, I feel the need to step away from the world of football for a time. The most important thing is my health, and some episodes that happened in recent days precipitated this decision." He resigned as VP of the AFA national teams and requested an 18-month leave from his role as VP of San Lorenzo (LA NACION, 4/18). ... Former heavyweight world boxing champion MIKE TYSON "has chosen Dubai for an announcement on his latest business venture," the Mike Tyson Academy. He will hold a press conference at the Burj Khalifa on May 4. His academy plans "have already garnered interest with franchises set to open in the Middle East, Australia, France, West Africa and China" (GULF NEWS, 4/18).
