The IOC announced YAO MING as the latest ambassador for this summer’s 2nd Youth Olympic Games taking place in Nanjing, China. Yao will share his advice and experience of int'l competition with the next generation of young athletes (IOC). ... PAUL ROOS "has agreed to a third year as coach" of Australian Football League side Melbourne, "meaning he will remain in charge until the end of 2016." He "had initially agreed to a two-year deal" (THE AGE, 7/28). ... British cyclist GERAINT THOMAS has signed "a new two-year contract with Team Sky."
The 28-year-old Welshman, who joined the British-based team when they were formed in '10, "turned down offers 'from two or three other teams'" (BBC, 7/28). ... Axed England cricket player KEVIN PIETERSEN joined Big Bash League side Melbourne Stars on Monday "to be the highest-profile signing of the new season." Pietersen, who "was sacked by England in February following the 5-0 Ashes drubbing in the winter tour to Australia, has signed a two-year deal with the Cameron White-led team of the Twenty20 league" (REUTERS, 7/28). ... Former Pakistan cricket player SALIM MALIK, who "was banned for life for match fixing in 2000, will have money from frozen pension funds released to him by the Pakistan Cricket Board."
The money "was withheld by the PCB following Malik's ban" (REUTERS, 7/28).
KEEP CALM AND DRIVE ON: F1 team Mercedes non-Exec Chair NIKI LAUDA said that the team panicked in asking LEWIS HAMILTON "to move over" for NICO ROSBERG in Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, and the Briton "was right to ignore the request." Lauda, himself a triple world champion, "refused to blame Hamilton and told reporters he would have done exactly the same in the circumstances." Lauda: "The team was under enormous stress" (REUTERS, 7/28).
