TODD WOODBRIDGE "is no longer a contender for Tennis Australia's vacant high performance director's role." Woodbridge has "moved into a new media/ambassadorial/spokesman's position within the organisation." Woodbridge was "one of three internal candidates for the high-performance post," alongside SCOTT DRAPER, who oversees the 16-and-unders, and sports scientist MACHAR REID. Commentator and coach WALLY MASUR "is believed to have declined an approach" (THE AGE, 11/22). ... Saudi Arabia distance runner MOHAMED SHAWEEN "has been given a three-year ban for violating anti-doping regulations." The Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee said in a statement that abnormalities "were detected in his biological passport." It also said that distance runner HUSSAIN AL-HAMDAH "was banned for two and a half years for the same offence" (REUTERS, 11/21).
READY TO WALK: Sunderland Manager GUSTAVO POYET has threatened to walk away from the club if new players are forced on him by Dir of Football ROBERTO DE FANTI (LONDON TIMES, 11/22). ... West Bromwich Albion are set to open talks with head coach STEVE CLARKE on an extension of his contract (LONDON TIMES, 11/22). ... Chinese Basketball Association club Jilin Northeast Tigers announced on Wednesday it will part with head coach ZIVKO LJUBOJEVIC for healthy reasons. WANG HAN "was named new coach of the Tigers" (XINHUA, 11/20). ... The All India Football Federation on Wednesday "extended the contract" of national team head coach WIM KOEVERMANS by four months through October (PTI, 11/20). ... The LIONEL MESSI Foundation, in collaboration with Messi's hometown of Rosario, Argentina, has "launched a 'Noboy Wins' campaign to combat violence at Argentine football stadiums" (AS, 11/21). ... The sports memorabilia community "is abuzz this week" after one of JESSE OWENS' Gold Medals from the 1936 Berlin Games "was put up for auction, with the iconic item" predicted to fetch more than $1M (EUROSPORT, 11/21).
