Swiss Super League side Sion President CHRISTIAN CONSTANTIN was given a 14-month ban "for striking" former Switzerland coach ROLF FRINGER. The incident happened after Sion's 2-1 win over Lugano on Sept. 21. Constantin, who was also fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($102,511), "was filmed slapping Fringer, who is now a television pundit" (BBC, 10/12). ... Former England and British & Lions player BRIAN STEVENS died, aged 77. He captained England in '71 but "played mainly in his native Cornwall for Penzance and Newlyn and Hayle" (BBC, 10/12). ... Juventus and Italy captain GIANLUIGI BUFFON was "offered a new job for his post-retirement career" -- minister for sport in the Italian government. The goalkeeper is expected to retire at the end of the season, by which point he will be 40 years old. He has suggested he is not interested by the role of coach, while he is "likely to be proposed a position in the Juventus Board of Directors" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 10/11). ... Liverpool Manager JÜRGEN KLOPP "turned down the chance" to become the manager of ManU in '13 when ALEX FERGUSON retired. The then-Borussia Dortmund coach had been "sounded out about the possibility of eventually becoming Ferguson’s successor" the month before his retirement was announced, but "stunned" the ManU hierarchy by informing them that he wanted to stay in Germany to "try and knock Bayern Munich off" its perch (London TELEGRAPH, 10/10). ... Chinese businessman WANG JIANLIN, the founder of Dalian Wanda Group and the owner of a 20% stake in Atlético Madrid, "is no longer in first place on the list of the richest people in China, according to the Hurun rich list." With a fortune of $23B, Wang "has dropped to fifth after losing 28% of his fortune from a year ago" (EP, 10/12).
