Footballer JOHN TERRY "is ready to end his self-imposed retirement" from the England set-up and is "targeting a swansong at the World Cup finals in Brazil" (GUARDIAN, 4/26). ... The Singaporean businessman at the centre of a sex-for-match fixing case "has been given a fresh charge of theft for allegedly stealing evidence." ERIC DING SI YANG, who is accused of trying to rig an AFC Cup football match by procuring sex workers for three Lebanese referees, "was given seven days in custody because of the new charge" (AFP, 4/26). ... Olympic discus thrower LAWRENCE OKOYE, who has "never played a competitive American football match," announced he had been offered a three-year deal by the NFL S.F. 49ers as an undrafted free agent (EUROSPORT, 4/28). ... Golfer GRAEME MCDOWELL wants the IOC to decide whether he plays for Great Britain or Ireland at Rio 2016. As there is no Northern Ireland team at the Olympics, McDowell joins compatriot RORY MCILROY "in the dilemma as to which nation they wish to represent." McDowell: "It's a difficult decision that Rory and I are in. It puts us in a very enviable, or even unenviable, position of being able to choose which team we might represent in the Olympics" (GOLF MAGIC, 4/26). ... WTA CEO STACEY ALLASTER said that Chinese tennis player LI NA "plays an important role in the development of tennis in the key market of Asia," Allaster: "She is the most important player of the decade for me" (DPA, 4/26). ... Title-winning Coach GRAHAM ARNOLD said that Australia's A-League "has too many foreign players and their prevalence is hurting the national team." Arnold, who guided the Central Coast Mariners to their maiden A-League championship last week, said that "he had prioritised using local players rather than imports in his side and suggested rival teams did the same" (EUROSPORT, 4/28). ... Iranian football side Esteghlal coach AMIR GHALENOEI "has dismissed rumors, which say he is returning to the Iran football team as a coach" (TEHRAN TIMES, 4/28). ... AC Milan striker MARIO BALOTELLI said he will let his girlfriend, Belgian model FANNY NEGUESHA, sleep with the entire Real Madrid football team if the club is able to avenge a 4-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund and qualify for the Champions League finals. Balotelli: "If Real Madrid comes back against Borussia Dortmund and makes it to the final of the Champions League, I will let my girlfriend sleep with all the players" (CLARIN, 4/28).
