Former FIFA President SEPP BLATTER denied HOPE SOLO's allegations of sexual assault, calling them "ridiculous" and saying, "You have to look at this lady's CV." Earlier this month, Solo said Blatter "grabbed my ass" at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in '13 (YAHOO, 11/28). ... UEFA President ALEKSANDER ČEFERIN announced he will pledge 1% of his salary to JUAN MATA's Common Goal scheme and "called on everyone in football to donate to worthwhile causes." More than 30 players have already publicly announced their support for the movement over the last few weeks, but Čeferin has become the "first major football administrator to join" (London INDEPENDENT, 11/29). ... Former National Rugby League side South Sydney Rabbitohs coach MICHAEL MAGUIRE "is in the running to take over" from TONY ARCHER as the NRL's head of referees. Maguire "has been approached to head up a restructured whistleblowing department" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 11/29). ... OMAR KHRBIN became the first player from Syria to be crowned Asia's Player of the Year on Wednesday when the Al Hilal striker was presented with the Asian Football Confederation's "most prestigious individual award." Australia's SAMANTHA KERR "took the women's award" (REUTERS, 11/29).
'CHARGING ADVICE': Detectives investigating an incident outside a Bristol nightclub involving England cricketer BEN STOKES "passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service for advice on charging." Stokes was dropped from the England squad and suspended from playing for his country following his arrest on Sept. 25 (London TELEGRAPH, 11/29).
GROWING LIST: Real Madrid midfielder LUKA MODRIĆ "became the latest football star in Spain accused by prosecutors of committing tax fraud on revenue from his image rights." Prosecutors believe Modrić, whose wife, VANJA, is also cited in the accusation, evaded €870,728 in '13 and '14 via a shell company set up in Luxembourg (AFP, 11/29).
