Australian Open Tournament Dir CRAIG TILEY said that SERENA WILLIAMS, who gave birth to a daughter in September, will "return to Melbourne to defend her title in January." Williams announced after giving birth that the initials of her daughter's name -- ALEXIS OLYMPIA OHANIAN -- were a "nod to the Australian Open" (AAP, 10/9). ... A Brazilian federal judge on Monday extended the custody of Brazilian Olympic Committee President CARLOS NUZMAN, who was arrested last Thursday in connection with a corruption investigation. The decision by Judge MARCELO BRETAS means "there is no deadline" for Nuzman, 75, who was originally to be held five days, to be released from custody (REUTERS, 10/9). ... Int'l Boxing Association (AIBA) President WU CHING-KUO has been suspended over "allegations of financial mismanagement." Wu has controlled Olympic boxing's governing body since '06 (RTÉ, 10/10). ... The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry announced it will remove former footballer HRISTO STOICHKOV from the position of honorary consul of Bulgaria in Barcelona "after his recent public appearances." Stoichkov last week called Spanish Deputy PM SORAYA SÁENZ DE SANTAMARÍA, "Franco." He said, "Please resign now. You can not send the police to beat innocent people" (EFE, 10/10). ... CRAIG MOLLER accomplished something that "may never be matched again" when he suited up for National Basketball League side Melbourne United against NBA Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. The former Australian Football League player turned NBL player "became the first man to play in both an AFL game and an NBA preseason game" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 10/10).
