After "many rumors," Mexico Football Federation President JUSTINO COMPEÁN said that "he will step down." Compeán told media representatives that he "would not make declarations in front of cameras and microphones for now," but that he will resign. He said that he will "give details on Tuesday." Liga MX President DECIO DE MARÍA is expected to "take Compeán's place" (LA AFICIÓN, 5/20). ... Spanish second division side Alcorcón coach JOSÉ BORDALÁS announced that he will leave the club after this season. Bordalás said, "I am not going to continue next season. I communicated this to the club several weeks ago. It began to look for a new coach, and I believe they have found one" (MARCA, 5/20). ... After sharing a "controversial video with jokes seen as racist" toward Brazilian gymnast ANGELO ASSUMPÇÃO, teammates ARTHUR NORY, FELLIPE ARAKAWA and HENRIQUE FLORES "were provisionally suspended from national team activities" by the Brazilian Gymnastics Federation (CBG). Nory, Arakawa and Flores "also had incentives and scholarships suspended" (GLOBO ESPORTE, 5/20). ... GMR Marketing has appointed former Team Great Britain athlete POSY MUSGRAVE as an athlete manager to work on preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Musgrave will form part of the agency's int'l client-focused team based in London (Team GB). ... Korean Basketball League side Ulsan Mobis Phoebus' MOON TAE-YOUNG will join the Seoul Thunders as a free agent, "signing a record" 830M won ($760,000), two-year deal. Before Moon, KIM JOO-SUNG of the Wonju Dongbu Promy "had the earnings record," having received 710M won for the '08-09 season (KOREA TIMES, 5/21). ... EPL side Leicester City Manager NIGEL PEARSON has been nominated for Premier League manager of the year. The "five-strong list of nominees" includes Pearson, Chelsea Manager JOSÉ MOURINHO, Southampton Manager RONALD KOEMAN, Swansea Manager GARRY MONK and Arsenal's ARSENE WENGER (LEICESTER MERCURY, 5/21). ... RAFAEL NADAL was awarded Paris' prestigious "Grand Vermeil" medal by Paris Mayor ANNE HIDALGO in a "lavish ceremony at City Hall on Thursday" (ALL SPORTS NEWS, 5/19). ... Godolphin has "added a potential ace" to its Investec Derby hand by "buying into the partnership" that owns horse JACK HOBBS. The Dante Stakes runner-up "will race in the royal blue colours" of SHEIKH MOHAMMED’s operation and remain in training with JOHN GOSDEN (LONDON TIMES, 5/20).
SIGNING DRAMA: Liverpool canceled talks with RAHEEM STERLING's representative, AIDY WARD, following the emergence of a controversial newspaper report in which the player's agent is claimed to have said that "his client will not sign a new deal with the Merseyside club under any circumstances." Liverpool informed Ward that it believes a meeting "would be pointless given the nature of the outspoken comments attributed to the Kent-based agent in London's Evening Standard." Although Ward has since denied making the remarks, Liverpool feels that "the entire process has been compromised" (LONDON TIMES, 5/21). In the London Evening Standard article, Ward said he "didn’t care" about the club or its image, dismissed criticism by former players as "irrelevant" and branded former Liverpool player and Sky Sports pundit JAMIE CARRAGHER "a knob." He said, "I don’t care about the PR of the club and the club situation. I don’t care. He is definitely not signing. He’s not signing for £700,000 ($1.1B), £800,000 ($1.25B), £900,000 ($1.41B) a week. He is not signing" (EVENING STANDARD, 5/21).
