Russian F1 team Marussia has signed a new contract with driver JULES BIANCHI, 23, that will keep him in the team's driver lineup for the '14 season (Marussia F1). ... German swimmer BRITTA STEFFEN, who won Gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Games, annouced her retirement. Steffen said in a statement, "I end my career with the knowledge of being one of the best in the world" (Ö24, 9/27). ... Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach has appointed ARIE VAN LENT as coach of its U19 team. The 43-year-old replaces HORST STEFFEN, who recently took over 3rd League side Stuttgarter Kickers (Borussia Mönchengladbach). ... Lithuania basketball coach JONAS KAZLAUSKAS "has resigned" and will focus on Chinese club Guangzhou Hongyuan. The Guangzhou source also disclosed that Lithuanian Basketball Federation CEO ALVYDAS SABONIS "has stepped down" (XINHUA, 10/3). ... Reigning Alpari World Match Racing Tour Champion IAN WILLIAMS has been nominated for the 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year award (WMRT). ... World Cup-winning coach GRAHAM HENRY "faces an investigation" for saying referees and the judicial panel in this season's Rugby Championship have been "totally inconsistent" and are "a weakness in the game" (NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 10/3). ... Former Soviet basketball player SERGEI BELOV, who helped his team "beat the United States in the epic 1972 Olympic final in Munich, died Thursday" at the age of 69. His death was announced by his former team, CSKA Moscow (AP, 10/3).
AFL NAMES: Australian Football League side Essendon's suspended coach JAMES HIRD "is considering legal action against the AFL" after CEO ANDREW DEMETRIOU "claimed that Hird had pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in the Essendon supplements saga." Hird's lawyer, STEVEN AMENDOLA, "denied his client had pleaded guilty to any charge over Essendon's controversial supplements program." Amendola said that the AFL "had withdrawn all charges against Hird under the deeds of settlement that he and the club signed with the AFL" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/3). ... AFL side West Coast named ADAM SIMPSON its new coach, with the club "overlooking dual premiership star" PETER SUMICH. Simpson, 37, "will be unveiled as the Eagles’ sixth coach at a press conference at club headquarters on Friday morning." Sumich, 45, "had been regarded as the favourite" to take over from JOHN WORSFOLD (NEWS LIMITED, 10/3).
