Former ManU and Aston Villa striker DION DUBLIN has been "named as the surprise new host of BBC television show Homes Under The Hammer." He joins the show's existing line-up of MARTIN ROBERTS and LUCY ALEXANDER as a new presenter, with a role involving "meeting budding property developers" around the U.K. (London DAILY MAIL, 3/25). ... DAVE BASSETT and WALLY DOWNES are to "set the record straight about the glory days" at League Two side AFC Wimbledon "after agreeing to write a book" about the club’s rise through the Football League. Bassett "claimed that the Crazy Gang had been misrepresented" in a 90-minute BT Sport documentary -- which "won an award at the Sports Journalists' Association dinner on Monday" -- screened late last year. Bassett, who was manager of the Dons between '81 and '87, and his former player Downes are "working in collaboration on the new book" (London DAILY MAIL, 3/25). ... Veteran Melbourne sporting journalist STEPHEN PHILLIPS has "died after being diagnosed" with a brain tumor last year. Phillips, 62, "began his journalistic career with the Sun News-Pictorial" in '70, leaving in '75 to join The Australian and then The Age from '77-79 (HERALD SUN, 3/25). ... The Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) said that Canoeist DAVID CAL, Spain's most decorated Olympian with one Gold Medal and four Silver, “has called time on his career at the age of 32.” Cal, who carried the Spanish flag at the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, “competed in the C1 class where the competitor kneels in his craft and uses a single paddle” (REUTERS, 3/25). … Korean Swimming Federation President LEE KI-HEUNG said that there will be time to discuss PARK TAE-HWAN's future “but first and foremost the swimmer has to apologize for failing a doping test that resulted in an 18-month ban.” Lee: "First and foremost, Park has to sincerely apologize to those who he has disappointed and he should take some time for self-reflection. After that we'll sit down with Park and discuss his situation before deciding what our next step will be” (REUTERS, 3/24).
FOR THE CHILDREN: Cricketer KEVIN PIETERSEN “is to donate his surrey wages this summer to his own foundation.” Pietersen, 34, “signed a new contract on Wednesday to return to The Oval -- and an hour later, revealed in his Daily Telegraph column that there will be no personal financial benefit.” Instead, “as the record-breaking but controversial batsman tries to push his way back into the England reckoning for this summer's Ashes, the money he earns from Surrey will be sent to the Kevin Pietersen Foundation -- set up to help under-privileged children achieve and prosper” (PA, 3/25).
