A Cuban national in South Florida is facing smuggling charges in Miami after prosecutors said that he is "part of a criminal enterprise that has profited for years off the black market" for Cuban baseball players. TOMAS VALLE VALDIVIA, 44, is "accused of using go-fast boats to smuggle one player off the island" in October '13 and "another at an undetermined time." Neither player is "identified in court documents, but the first appears" to be Reds P RAISEL IGLESIAS (South Florida SUN SENTINEL, 10/1).
Salazar was found guilty of administering a banned substance, trafficking of testosterone and moreGETTY IMAGES
OUT OF BOUNDS: Nike-backed distance-running coach ALBERTO SALAZAR, who led British runner MO FARAH and American GALEN RUPP to Olympic medals, "received a four-year ban for orchestrating and facilitating prohibited doping conduct" yesterday following an investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/1). Salazar was "guilty of administering a banned substance, tampering and/or attempted tampering with the doping control process and trafficking and/or attempted trafficking of testosterone" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/1).
HONORS: The L.A. Chapter of Women in Sports and Events (WISE L.A.) announced WNBA L.A. Sparks President & COO DANITA JOHNSON, Lakers VP/Corporate Partnerships ALLISON HOWARD and L.A. Wildcats President HEATHER BROOKS KARATZ have been selected as recipients of the '19 WISE L.A. Women of Inspiration Award. The 10th installment of the awards will take place Nov. 20 (WISE)....DAZN Exec VP JOSEPH MARKOWSKI, beIN Sports VP/Business Development & Affiliate Sales ROY MEYERINGH and WarnerMedia Senior VP/Sales & Client Partnerships RYAN GOULD were included in the NYC Television Week annual "40 Under 40" list (MULTICHANNEL.com, 9/30).
NAMES: Former Pegula Sports & Entertainment Senior VP/Administration & HarborCenter GM MICHAEL GILBERT has "established Gibby Consulting Group." Gilbert said that the firm will "specialize in business development, strategic planning, construction and real estate development and public relations" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/30)....The Players Championship contributed $1M yesterday to a new behavioral health program for students in St. Johns County in Jacksonville (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 10/1)....Warriors G KLAY THOMPSON will return to his alma mater Washington State on Jan. 18 to "see his jersey go into the rafters at Beasley Coliseum" (Spokane SPOKESMAN-REVIEW, 10/1)....URBAN MEYER's Pint House, the new collaboration between the former Ohio State coach and Corso Ventures' CHRIS CORSO, officially opened in Dublin, Ohio, last Friday. The 7-0 Room, the name "reflecting Meyer's record" against Michigan, is one of three private dining areas in the space (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 10/1)....Eastern Michigan men's basketball coach ROB MURPHY has "written a new book" offering lessons on leadership that will be available Oct. 11 (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 10/1).
