The Lotus F1 team extended its contract with French driver ROMAIN GROSJEAN for the '13 season. The appointment of Grosjean, who has been with the team since '11, and Finnish driver KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN completes the team's diver lineup for '13 (MOTORSPORT MAGAZIN, 12/17). ... German NBA Dallas Mavericks player DIRK NOWITZKI, who is currently injured, "will not play for the German national basketball team at the EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia." Mavericks Owner MARK CUBAN has said, even ahead of Nowitzki's injury, that he "would not allow him to play for his national team." Cuban said, "I'd rather shoot myself in the foot before allowing him that. I know how important it is for him to represent his country. However, in such cases it is about business. It is only about the money" (KICKER, 12/17). ... F1 driver BRUNO SENNA "continues to negotiate" a ride with the Force India team for next season (FOLHA DE S. PAULO, 12/18). ... Liverpool midfielder SUSO "has been fined £10,000 ($16,000) and warned about his future conduct by the FA after he called teammate JOSE ENRIQUE 'gay' in November." Enrique later took to Twitter to express his surprise at Suso's punishment. He tweeted, "Is amazing how FA can fine my friend Suso Fernandez for a banter thing. Was just a joke!!!" (London MIRROR, 12/18). ... Paralympic coach JENNI BANKS has been appointed as UK Athletics’ wheelchair racing coach in the latest coaching appointment by UKA Performance Dir NEIL BLACK. UKA has also confirmed that UKA physician Dr. ROBIN CHAKRAVERTY has been appointed as chief medical officer, following the departure of Dr. PAUL DIJKSTRA who leaves UK Athletics in January following a successful seven-year stint with the governing body (UKA). ... Four-time Melbourne Cup winner HARRY WHITE "donated all his racing memorabilia to the Victoria Racing Club to be displayed at Flemington." White decided to donate his 35 years of racing treasures because he "felt that being able to keep this collection together is best, and Flemington is where I had the most success" (HERALD SUN, 12/19).
AWARDS & HONORS: The most successful Ryder Cup Captain in history, TONY JACKLIN, was honored at the 12th annual Int'l Association of Golf Tour Operators awards ceremony, marking the conclusion of the Int'l Golf Travel Market 2012. Jacklin was guest of honor at the gala dinner, staged at the Tivoli Marina Hotel, Vilamoura, Portugal, which brought the curtain down on the most successful IGTM to date, which saw almost 13,000 delegates from 47 countries in attendance (IGTM). ... COLIN MONTGOMERIE and KEN SCHOFIELD will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum. They will be honored along with fellow '13 inductees FRED COUPLES, WILLIE PARK JR. and KEN VENTURI at the Induction Ceremony on May 6 at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, U.S. The ceremony will once again kick off The Players Championship week (World Golf Hall of Fame).
