Golfer RORY MCILROY said that he sacked his caddie of nine years "after growing tension" in their relationship caused the four-time major winner to question his own behavior on the golf course. McIlroy parted company with J.P. FITZGERALD last week after the British Open and "will have his best friend HARRY DIAMOND on his bag for the next two weeks" (REUTERS, 8/3). ... Arsenal Manager ARSÈNE WENGER was "put on the spot" on Thursday about Arsenal Owner STAN KROEKE's launch of a pay-per-view bloodsports TV channel that "shows the slaughter of lions, elephants and other wild animals." Wenger was asked "whether he felt the backlash against Kroenke would affect the team." Wenger said, "Not at all, we are professional football people and I think what it means to be professional is to focus on your job and the strength of professional people is not to be diverted by noises that are not their problem" (London TELEGRAPH, 8/3). ... Former All Blacks captain JOHN GRAHAM died after a short illness, aged 82. Graham, also a former rugby administrator, played 53 times for New Zealand, including 22 Test matches between '58 and '64. He also "had a spell" as manager of the NZ cricket team, and later became president of New Zealand Rugby (London GUARDIAN, 8/2). ... Former MotoGP racer ÁNGEL NIETO died in a hospital in Ibiza, aged 70. The 13-time world champion "succumbed to injuries suffered in a quad bike accident on July 26" (London DAILY MIRROR, 8/3). ... SONNY BILL WILLIAMS' appeal against his suspension was upheld by the independent disciplinary panel of World Rugby on Thursday, "which would see him feature in New Zealand's Rugby Championship opener against Australia later this month" (REUTERS, 8/3).
CALLING IT QUITS: WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO announced his "shock retirement from boxing with immediate effect, ending any chance of a rematch" against heavyweight world champion ANTHONY JOSHUA. The Ukrainian retires as "one of the sport's true greats," having held the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles, as well as the lineal crown, and "remains the second-longest serving heavyweight champion of all time." Joshua declared on Wednesday that he wanted Klitschko to agree to a rematch by the end of the month. Klitschko said, "As an amateur and a professional boxer, I have achieved everything I dreamed of, and now I want to start my second career after sports" (London INDEPENDENT, 8/3).
RUNNING A BUSINESS?: German sportswear firm Puma could make Jamaican sprinter USAIN BOLT the head of its Caribbean business once he retires from athletics, Puma CEO BJØRN GULDEN said on Thursday. Gulden: "Usain Bolt could be even more important for us when he stops running. I can even imagine that he could run our business in the Caribbean." Gulden previously said that Bolt, who has been sponsored by Puma since he was 15, "could be just as valuable for the brand off the track," adding that "he would have more time for product development" (REUTERS, 8/3).
