Nigerian billionaire ALIKO DANGOTE's "first order of business if he succeeds" in buying Arsenal will be to fire Manager ARSÈNE WENGER. Dangote, Africa's richest man with a net worth of $11.1B, has "coveted the team since becoming a supporter." He said, "The first thing I would change is the coach. He has done a good job, but someone else should also try his luck" (BLOOMBERG, 8/17). ... English golfer LAURA DAVIES "will become the first woman to compete in a men's European Senior Tour event." The 53-year-old will "join former Masters champion IAN WOOSNAM in the Shopco Masters," which will take place in Denmark from June 1-3 next year (BBC, 8/16). ... USAIN BOLT will be "prevented from achieving his lifelong dream" of playing for ManU by the hamstring injury sustained in his farewell race. ManU Legends will take on their Barcelona counterparts at Old Trafford on Sept. 2 in a charity match, raising money for the ManU Foundation (PA, 8/17). ... Romania Fed Cup captain ILIE NASTASE has appealed after being banned from official roles by the Int'l Tennis Federation until '21. The sanction "followed his tirade" at a Fed Cup match in Bucharest in April (BBC, 8/17). ... Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN signed a decree on Thursday granting Russian citizenship to Australian track cyclist SHANE PERKINS, who is a two-time World Champion and 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist (TASS, 8/17). ... Double track world champion and Olympic Silver Medalist BECKY JAMES retired at the age of 25. The Welsh athlete won the world sprint and keirin titles in '13 and took Silver at the same events at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She intends to set up a baking business "along with exciting other projects" (BBC, 8/17). ... The Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) announced SAMUEL SÁNCHEZ tested positive for growth hormone releasing peptide GHRP-2. The "adverse analytical finding" is from an out-of-competition test performed on Aug. 9 (CYCLING NEWS, 8/17). ... Portuguese side Sporting President BRUNO DE CARVALHO was suspended for six months "after being accused of spitting on" Arouca President CARLOS PINHO on Nov. 6. De Carvahlo denied "spitting on Pinho," saying that he "blew smoke from an electronic cigarette" (EFE, 8/16).
TROPHY NAME: Former French int'l THIERRY HENRY suggested the Premier League trophy should be named after ALEX FERGUSON to honor the Scot's "unprecedented domestic success" with ManU. Ferguson, 75, retired from football in '13 after winning the last of his 13 Premier League titles as ManU's manager (London TELEGRAPH, 8/17).
