New Zealand rugby player BRODIE RETALLICK "has been named World Rugby player of the year for 2014." The Super Rugby side Chiefs vice-captain "becomes the fourth All Black to win the prize." Retallick, 23, beat teammate JULIAN SAVEA, Ireland's JONATHAN SEXTON, and South Africa pair WILLIE LE ROUX and DUANE VERMEULEN to the award (BBC, 11/22). ... A Spanish court has lifted ZINEDINE ZIDANE's coaching ban, "allowing the Frenchman, a former Real Madrid great, to manage the club’s reserve team." The ban "had resulted from a complaint lodged by Spain’s national training centre for coaches that Zidane did not have the required qualifications" (AP, 11/21). ... Former French rugby int’l KARL JANIK was "named the new manager of the France Women’s XV" and will be assisted by former French rugby internationals JEAN-MICHEL GONZALEZ, and PHILIPPE LAURENT, the French Rugby Federation announced Saturday. Janik, a three-time France champion as a player with Top 14 rugby side Stade Toulousian, replaces ANNICK HAYRAUD, "who led France to a third place finish in the World Cup this summer" (SPORT 24, 11/22). ... Olympic long jump champion GREG RUTHERFORD said that he would “support any athlete who chooses to boycott the 2019 World Championships in Doha.” The decision to “award Qatar the event” has been criticized because of the country’s “treatment of migrant workers” (BBC, 11/21). ... Cayman Islands businessman and FIFA exec CANOVER WATSON was charged Thursday with “five separate corruption, fraud and money laundering offenses, according to officers with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Anti-Corruption Unit." Watson has also been “suspended from his position as a member of FIFA’s financial monitoring panel.” FIFA VP JEFFREY WEBB, who is also a Cayman Islands resident, was “contacted for comment Thursday but was out of the country and did not return calls immediately” (COMPASS CAYMAN, 11/21). ... SERGIO PEREZ has signed a “new contract with Force India” to drive for the team in ’15 and ’16. The 24-year-old Mexican is “currently 12th in the drivers’ championship in his first season with Force India” (BBC, 11/22). ... South African rugby player BAKKIES BOTHA has retired from int’l rugby union. His final appearance “came in last weekend's 31-28 win over England.” He won 85 caps and was a “key player” in South Africa’s '07 World Cup triumph (BBC, 11/22).
