Bayern Munich and German int'l striker MARIO GOMEZ "is reportedly leaving treble winning Bayern Munich for Italian Serie A side SSC Napoli." Gomez "will leave Bayern after 113 goals in 174 matches despite having an existing contract" until '16. The Italian side reportedly offers a transfer fee of €20M ($26M) for the 27-year-old (BILD, 6/3). ... Spanish NBA player JOSÉ CALDERÓN has confirmed that remaining in the NBA is his "only priority" (EFE, 6/3). ... Former La Liga RCD Mallorca CEO MARTÌ ASENSIO "faces charges of corporate fraud." The prosecution alleges that Asensio fraudulently appropriated in the region of €618,000 ($808,000) of club funds (INSIDE SPANISH FOOTBALL, 6/3). ... French rugby side ASM Clermont Auvergne coach VERN COTTER "will remain in France to see out his final year of his contract" before becoming Scotland head coach. ASM Clermont Auvergne confirmed after a board meeting on Monday that the coach "would see out his deal," which ends in the summer of '14. The New Zealander was announced as Scotland’s new boss last week, and Scottish Rugby was "keen to secure him in time to lead the team’s Six Nations campaign in the spring" (STV, 6/3). ... Indian cricket captain MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI on Monday received the Int'l Cricket Council Shield for "finishing as the No. 1 ODI team in the Championship table." In a ceremony at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff, former ICC President DAVID MORGAN "presented Dhoni a silver salver and a cheque" for $175,000 (PTI, 6/3). ... A Spanish judge has ordered the Royal Spanish Synchronized Swimming Federation to pay former Spanish National Synchronized Swimming coach ANNA TARRÉS €383,000 ($501,000). Tarres' compensation comes as a result of the judge voiding the Dec. 17 termination of her contract, just two weeks before it was scheduled to end (EFE, 6/3).
CYCLING NAMES: British Cycling President BRIAN COOKSON is "to stand for the presidency" of the Int'l Cycling Union. Cookson will officially announce his candidacy Tuesday, along with his vision for cleaning up a sport and governing body that has been beset by doping scandals (TELEGRAPH, 6/3). ... Cyclist MAURO SANTAMBROGIO tested positive for banned blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO) from a sample given on the opening day of the Giro d'Italia last month and has been temporarily suspended by cycling's governing body. The Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) "also asked the Italian cycling federation to proceed with a disciplinary case." Santambrogio "could be stripped of his victory in mountainous Stage 14 and his ninth-place finish overall" (AP, 6/3).
