Former Major League Soccer player DAVID BECKHAM "wants to return to Serie A club AC Milan." Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported Beckham "has contacted Milan Managing Dir ADRIANO GALLIANI and proposed the idea of re-signing him." Galliani has "in general agreed to the idea." However, coach MASSIMILIANO ALLEGRI "has vetoed the move." Allegri "is currently trying to add youth to the team's roster" (SID, 1/16). ... F1 team Scuderia Ferrari "has signed Spaniard PEDRO DE LA ROSA as a test driver." The 41-year-old "signed a contract" for '13 (DPA, 1/16). ... ManU player RIO FERDINAND will "help launch a new social media site in Europe" called Bubbly. It is a voice-blogging service that allows users to share short voice updates, or "Bubbles," with friends and followers through their smart phones. Bubbly already has more than 20 million users around the world and is now launching in the U.K. (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 1/16). ... Argentinian DIEGO MARADONA said, "I don't want to work in football anymore. It sickens me" (AS, 1/15). ... Japanese tennis veteran KIMIKO DATE-KRUMM on Tuesday "became the oldest woman to win a main draw match at the Australian Open." The 42-year-old beat 12th seed NADIA PETROVA, who is 12 years younger, 6-2, 6-0 in just more than an hour "in hot conditions on an outside court at Melbourne Park" (AFP, 1/16). ... Premier League West Ham United Manager SAM ALLARDYCE has accepted "substantial damages" from STEVE KEAN, his successor as Blackburn Rovers boss, for saying he was fired by the club in '10 for being a crook. Allardyce's lawyer HANNA BASHA told the High Court that Kean acknowledged the allegation was "completely untrue, had withdrawn it and agreed to pay a substantial and undisclosed sum in damages" (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 1/16).
AWARDS & HONORS: Hungarian Gold Medal-winning swimmer DANIEL GYURTA will receive the World Fair Play Diploma after giving "a replica of his trophy" to the family of Norwegian rival ALEXANDER DALE OEN, who died before the London Olympics (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/16). ... China's first professional boxing champion XIONG CHAOZHONG has been awarded 750,000 yuan ($120,000) and a house in his hometown, "angering residents who feel the money could have been spent on the poor" (CHINA DAILY, 1/16). ... For a sixth time the Yachting Journalists Association has voted BEN AINSLIE Yachtsman of the Year. The title caps his '12 honors, which peaked with winning his fourth Olympic Gold Medal in the London 2012 Olympics, becoming Int'l Sailing Federation (ISAF) world sailing champion, and receiving a knighthood in recognition of his services to sailing in the New Year's Honours (YACHTING WORLD, 1/15).
