CATRIONA MATTHEW was appointed as European captain for the next Solheim Cup, which will take place at the PGA Centenary Course at the Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland, from Sept. 13-15, 2019. Matthew made her ninth appearance as a player for the European team at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa last month, having served as a vice-captain to ANNIKA SÖRENSTAM (Solheim Cup). ... U.K. Competition & Markets Authority CEO ANDREA COSCELLI was "forced to cut off his friendship" with a senior Man City lawyer over potential accusations of bias in the investigation of the Murdoch family's Sky takeover bid. Coscelli will "take the prudent step of ceasing social interaction" with ANTONIO BAVASSO, an anti-trust partner at 21st Century Fox's law firm Allen & Overy (London TELEGRAPH, 9/20). ... Former Indian cricketer FAROKH ENGINEER would like to see "relations restored" in a "delicate" situation with Pakistan so the arch-rivals can "resume bilateral cricket series." India and Pakistan have not played a Test against each other since the '07-08 season (DAWN, 9/21). ... CARLOS TEVEZ "hit back" at suggestions from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua Chair WU XIAOHUI that he is "unfit to play," describing Chinese players as "not naturally skilled" and doubting whether they will be able to compete with the best nations "even in 50 years." The former ManU forward signed a two-year contract with Shenhua worth an estimated £630,000 ($855,500) per week in December but has been featured "only 13 times" in the CSL this season (London GUARDIAN, 9/21). ... Irish side Athlone Town striker JASON LYONS was suspended for seven games for betting offenses "unconnected to the club's match against Longford Town in April." Lyons is alleged to have "bet small amounts of money in Athlone Town matches, which included three in which he himself was involved." He was captain for one of the games (RTÉ, 9/21). ... Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb Manager MARIO CVITANOVIĆ was "beaten by two masked assailants with bats in front of his apartment in the Croatian capital," the club said. The 42-year-old former int'l, who took over as Dinamo coach in July, "suffered a broken arm in the attack late on Wednesday as he returned from a Croatian Cup match," local media reported. He "did not elaborate on the possible motives for the attack" (AFP, 9/21). ... French Sports Minister LAURA FLESSEL said that France's Winter Olympics team "will not travel to the 2018 Games in South Korea if its security cannot be guaranteed." Flessel said that if the crisis deepens and "our security cannot be assured, the French team will stay at home." She added, "We're not there yet" (REUTERS, 9/21).
