In N.Y., Rob Hughes reports FIFA is "shedding its senior executives in an attempt to appear to be moving faster than its corrupters." FIFA VP and CONCACAF President JACK WARNER resigned last month, and soccer's governing body on Saturday "barred for life" Asian Football Confederation President MOHAMMED BIN HAMMAM. FIFA's ethics committee barred Bin Hammam "from all forms of soccer for life." Bin Hammam "intends to fight the FIFA judgment." After the case goes to the FIFA appeals committee, it will "go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland," and perhaps even the "civil court in Switzerland" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/25).
OLYMPIC MOVEMENT: Action sports star SHAUN WHITE, in Manhattan to promote his signature line of Oakley sunglasses, sat down for a brief interview with the N.Y. TIMES. White said, "Despite some of the extraordinary things that have happened to me, I always feel like I'm the same person, and I think people connect with that." White makes a cameo appearance in "FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS," and when asked about making more movie appearances, he said, "I'm not really out there pursuing that, but if the right role comes along, I would definitely be interested" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/24)....The N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE profiles U.S. Olympic swimmer CULLEN JONES under the header, "Sink And Swim: After Nearly Drowning, Cullen Jones Set His Mind To Conquering The Water." Jones' sponsors, including Nike, "clearly see the market appeal of the handsome black swimmer" (N.Y. TIMES MAGAZINE, 7/25 issue).
THE SHOW MUST GO ON? In London, Paul Cahalan reports a "row over British athletes' non-involvement in the opening ceremony of next year's London Olympics threatens to overshadow the event." Filmmaker DANNY BOYLE, who is directing the Opening Ceremony, "intended to use athletes as the centrepiece of his opening gala." But coaches, "worried that a prolonged ceremony could leave athletes on their feet for hours, have banned the track-and-field side from taking part." The U.K.'s swim team "is likely to follow" (London INDEPENDENT, 7/25).
MIXING BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE: In Charlotte, Ken Tysiac notes Duke Univ.'s Fuqua School of Business is "expanding to establish a network of campuses in six overseas countries," and it is "no coincidence that Duke's men's basketball team is playing exhibitions this summer in two of those countries, China and the United Arab Emirates." The basketball team will depart Aug. 14, and also conduct youth basketball clinics while abroad (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/24).
A CALCULATED RISK: In Dayton, Sean McClelland noted Single-A Midwest League Dayton Dragons Owner PETER GUBER and investor MAGIC JOHNSON on Saturday honored the team for "setting the all-time professional sports consecutive sellout record" last month. Guber, who also owns the Warriors, discussed his investment in the minor league club and said that "nobody saw Dayton as a slam-dunk baseball hotbed when the team was still on the drawing board." Guber: "It was a big risk. We were worried about downtown Dayton." Johnson said, "When he called me and asked me to be part of it, I had to step back. I thought he was crazy. But Peter's a visionary and a winner -- and a marketing genius. Did I think it would be successful year one? No, but Peter did" (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, 7/24).
NAMES: MLB Rangers President & CEO NOLAN RYAN "returned to full-time duties Friday less than a week after being hospitalized because of a heart condition" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/23)....Former White Sox GM and D’Backs Special Assistant to the President & CEO ROLAND HEMOND on Saturday received the Baseball HOF’s Buck O’Neil Achievement Award (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/24)....Comedian ARTIE LANGE said that he will begin co-hosting a "sports entertainment comedy show" with NICK DIPAOLO on Fox Sports Radio beginning Sept. 12 (MEDIABISTRO.com, 7/22)….CBS’ LESLEY VISSER married Pelican Bay Suites Owner ROBERT KANUTH on Saturday in Cambridge, Mass. (N.Y. TIMES, 7/24)….A source said that Bears QB JAY CUTLER and fiancée KRISTIN CAVALLARI “have called off their engagement” (PEOPLE.com, 7/24).
IN MEMORY: Boxing promoter BUTCH LEWIS died Saturday morning after suffering a "massive heart attack." Lewis, 65, was a former VP at Top Rank (BOXINGSCENE.com, 7/24).
