Artist ADEL ABDESSEMED sculpted a statue "that immortalizes" ZINEDINE ZIDANE's headbutt of MARCO MATERAZZI during the 2006 World Cup final, and the piece is displayed outside the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. The 5m-tall statue is titled "headbutt" (FOOTBALL365.fr, 9/26). ... Swiss National League A hockey Kloten Flyers "acquired NHL Washington Capitals center BROOKS LAICH for the duration of the league's lockout." The 29-year-old Canadian has scored 125 goals and 183 assists in 608 NHL games (BLICK.ch, 9/25). ... JEROME SINCLAIR became Liverpool's youngest player after being promoted to the first team squad for the Capital One Cup match against West Brom Wednesday. Sinclair turned 16 just a week ago. If he makes it onto the pitch, "he will beat the current club record" of 16 years and 250 days set by JACK ROBINSON when he made his debut against Hull City in May '10 (London TELEGRAPH, 9/26). ... Former Australian Int'l COLIN BATCH has been named New Zealand men's hockey coach. He replaces SHANE MCLEOD "who steped down" following the London Games (RODIONZ.co.nz, 9/26). ... Three "rugby greats" are in Bangkok this weekend as "special guests" of the DHL Bangkok Lions RFC. Former Wallaby JOE ROFF, former All Black STU WILSON and Welsh int'l SCOTT QUINNELL will speak at a charity evening event on Friday at the Conrad Bangkok (BANGKOK POST, 9/26).
BEST OF BRITAIN: Plymouth Leander Coach JON RUDD has been named Coach of the Year by the British Swimming Coaches Association. He was recognized after coaching Lithuania's 15-year-old RUTA MEILUTYTE to an Olympic Gold Medal in the 100m Breaststroke at London 2012 (SWIMMINGWORLDMAGAZINE.com, 9/25). ... Team Sky has signed the Italian all-rounder DARIO CATALDO from the Belgian team Quick-Step on a two-year contract. The 27-year-old Italian time trial champion, won the grueling 16th stage of August's Vuelta a Espana (REUTERS, 9/26). ... The European Ryder Cup team is "honoring the memory of SEVE BALLESTEROS by putting his iconic image on their golf bags." Ballesteros died in May '11. He was the longtime friend of European captain JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL (AP, 9/25). ... Premier League club Wigan Manager ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ has been charged by the Football Association after criticizing the referee following Wigan's defeat to ManU on Sept 15. Martínez, "unhappy with a first-minute penalty decision made against his side by MICHAEL OLIVER, suggested referees were more likely to award key decisions to bigger clubs" (PA, 9/26). ... The '12 Int'l Ice Hockey Federation General Congress elected the new IIHF Council for a four-year term. BOB NICHOLSON, THOMAS WU, ZSUZSANNA KOLBENHEYER, VLADISLAV TRETIAK, LUC TARDIF, IGOR NEMECEK and HENRIK BACH NIELSEN join the IIHF’s exec body as of Oct. 1. RENE FASEL was re-elected as IIHF President by acclamation (IIHF).
ICC UMPIRE QUITS: The Int'l Cricket Council announced that SIMON TAUFEL will step down from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires at the end of the ICC World Twenty20, to take up the new role of ICC Umpire Performance and Training Manager. Taufel umpired in 74 Tests and 174 ODIs with his last Test and ODI appearances being at Lord’s a month ago in matches featuring England and South Africa (ICC). In London, Sam Munnery wrote Taufel is “one of the most respected umpires in cricket.” His status in the game for the past decade is highlighted by him being named the ICC’s Umpire of the Year for five successive years from ’04-08. Taufel wants a “less demanding schedule to spend more time with his family” (LONDON TIMES, 9/26). Meanwhile, the ICC appointed BRUCE OXENFORD to replace Taufel on the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires beginning Nov. 1. Oxenford is one of the 13 umpires on duty in the ongoing ICC World Twenty20. He has been on the Emirates Int’l Panel of ICC Umpires since ’07-08 (ICC).
OLYMPIC RANKS: IOC President JACQUES ROGGE announced the composition of the Working Group that "will assess the six candidatures" for the third edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games in '18. The IOC Working Group will be chaired by Olympic Silver Medalist and world champion fencer CLAUDIA BOKEL. The German athlete is also an IOC member and chairperson of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. The Working Group will consist of Belgian NOC Secretary General GUIDO DE BONDT; Association of Summer Olympic Int'l Federations Dir ANDREW RYAN; Olympic volleyball champion and IOC member YUMILKA RUIZ LUACES; and Olympic Games Exec Dir GILBERT FELLI; who will be joined by IOC representatives comprised of Sports Dir CHRISTOPHE DUBI; Head of YOG Coordination ANTOINE GOETSCHY; Head of Creative Services and CEP PATRICK STALDER; and NOC Relations Program Manager TOSHIO TSURUNAGA (IOC).
