DENNIS RODMAN urged DONALD TRUMP "to sign him up as a peace envoy to North Korea" after his latest foray into KIM JONG-UN's "hermit kingdom was scuppered by a travel ban" preventing U.S. citizens from visiting. Rodman said that U.S. officials "discouraged him" from flying to Pyongyang "amid continuing tensions between the countries" (London GUARDIAN, 12/11). ... South African former athlete OSCAR PISTORIUS was "hurt in a prison brawl," less than two weeks after his sentence for the killing of girlfriend REEVA STEENKAMP was "more than doubled." The "disgraced Paralympian" was allegedly involved in a fight "over the use of a public phone" (BBC, 12/12). ... FIFA banned Colombia int'l EDWIN CARDONA for five matches for "making a discriminatory gesture with his eyes toward a South Korean opponent." FIFA will allow Cardona to serve the ban in friendly games, so he "should be available" for Colombia's World Cup opener against Japan on June 19. He was also fined 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,200) (AP, 12/12). ... The PGA Tour suspended Australian MARK HENSBY for one year for "violating the sport's anti-doping policy." The 46-year-old "failed to provide a drug testing sample," the PGA said in a statement (REUTERS, 12/11). ... Boxer TYSON FURY vowed "to reclaim the world titles which are rightfully mine" after accepting a backdated two-year ban for doping that leaves him "free to return to the ring." The former world heavyweight champion has been out of the ring since he "dethroned" WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO in Nov. '15. Seven months after that "famous victory," he was charged by UK Anti-Doping with using a banned substance (London DAILY MAIL, 12/12).
