Real Madrid coach JOSE MOURINHO reiterated his claim that he and not Spain handler VINCENTE DEL BOSQUE "was the rightful recipient of FIFA's 2012 World Coach of the Year award." Mourinho alleged del Bosque picked up the honour at a ceremony in Zurich in January only after "irregularities" when people who had voted for him had their votes changed (AFP, 3/23). ... ManU Manager ALEX FERGUSON is "refusing to speak to the media." UEFA's disciplinary committee has ruled the indiscretion worthy only of a £8,500 ($12,900) fine. The committee also suspended NANI "for one match following the red card that swung the tie in Real's favour and prompted Ferguson's decision not to attend the post-match briefings." UEFA did not find Nani "guilty of violent conduct and a one-match ban is the minimum punishment he could have received" (GUARDIAN, 3/22). ... Sky Sports has confirmed that "they are in talks" with former England captain ANDREW STRAUSS over him joining "their stellar commentary team for this summer's Ashes series." Strauss, 36, has "taken time away form the game." However, the "opportunity to share his views on this summer's home series with Australia is proving a tempting one." An agreement that will see him become the sixth former England captain to join the Sky commentary team -- alongside IAN BOTHAM, DAVID GOWER, NASSER HUSSAIN, BOB WILLIS and MICHAEL ATHERTON -- is "likely to be announced before the start of the summer" (London DAILY MAIL, 3/23). ... India fast bowler ISHANT SHARMA has been fined 15% of his match fee for breaching the ICC code of conduct during the third day of play in the fourth and last Test against Australia in Delhi Sunday. Sharma admitted to the charge and accepted the sanction imposed by ICC Match referee RANJAN MADUGALLE without the need to convene a disciplinary hearing (ICC).
