Former rugby player Garreth Carvell is relaunching the Rugby League Players' Association, with financial backing from the GMB trade union, claiming players' views are "currently ignored in all talks, including over how many games they play, any rule changes or the structure of the season." Carvell, 37, said, "It is all about fairness and the players having a positive input in their game." The Rugby Football League has also given its backing to the union (DAILY STAR, 1/18).
A former Rangers administrator who is suing Scotland's senior police officer is "seeking to have a court rule in his favour without evidence being heard." David Whitehouse has raised a £9M ($12.5M) action against Chief Constable Philip Gormley and senior law officer Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC, who are contesting his claim. Whitehouse alleges that his detention and arrest by detectives investigating Craig Whyte's takeover of the club in '11 were "wrongful and damage was inflicted on his professional reputation" (SCOTSMAN, 1/18).
The IAAF "has not been made aware of any information that would give it concern about successful world championship bids" by Doha and Eugene, Ore., IAAF CEO Olivier Gers said on Wednesday. French prosecutors said in '15 that the bids were being investigated as part of a "wide-ranging probe" into the IAAF. Gers said, "At this point, we have not been privy to any information that would give us any doubt" (REUTERS, 1/17).