Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG coach ANDRÉ VILLAS-BOAS was fined $14,000 for his "criticism of the referees" following the Asian Football Confederation Champions League quarterfinal win over Guangzhou Evergrande two weeks ago. The Portuguese was investigated by the AFC for his "outburst" following the second leg of the quarterfinal (REUTERS, 9/26). ... Former EPL side Newcastle United Chair FREDDY SHEPHERD died, aged 75, his family said. The multi-millionaire was "involved in a number of regeneration projects through his company Shepherd Offshore." He sold his stake in the club to current Owner MIKE ASHLEY in June '07 (BBC, 9/26). ... An unnamed Cuban volleyball player who was "unjustly imprisoned for almost a year in Finland" will be paid nearly €200,000 ($235,900) in damages by the Finland State Treasury. According to Tuesday's decision, the man will be paid €500 ($590) "for each day behind bars" (YLE, 9/26). ... PIERRE GASLY will make his Formula 1 debut with Toro Rosso at this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix. The 21-year-old Frenchman, who won the GP2 series last year, will replace DANIIL KVYAT "for the next Grands Prix," Toro Rosso said in a statement. The team added, "He is being given a chance to prove himself in F1" (BBC, 9/26). ... Rugby Europe announced female referees ALHAMBRA NIEVAS and JOY NEVILLE will both take charge of upcoming men's int'l matches, "becoming the first female referees ever to do so." Nievas was an assistant referee for the match between the U.S. and Tonga last year, "going on to be named Referee of the Year 2016 at the World Rugby Awards." She will take charge of Finland vs. Norway in the Conference 2 division of Rugby Europe on Oct. 14 in Helsinki. Neville will officiate Norway vs. Denmark on Oct. 28 (London TELEGRAPH, 9/26). ... WAYNE ROONEY is “expected to be the subject of one more blockbuster autobiography at the end of his career rather than the three books left on his contract.” Rooney signed “one of the biggest sports publishing deals” in ’06, worth £5M for a five-book deal with HarperCollins. Since then, there have been only two Rooney memoirs, “My Story So Far” (’06) and “My Decade in the Premier League” (’12), “neither of which sold as well as expected.” It is believed the publisher, which no longer has a dedicated sports division, would settle for the Everton striker “telling all in one explosive book when he hangs up his boots” (London DAILY MAIL, 9/25).
ROUGH NIGHT: England cricket vice-captain BEN STOKES was arrested by Bristol police and released under investigation "after an incident in the city" on Sunday that also involved teammate ALEX HALES. Both were "dropped by England" for the one-day int'l against the West Indies at the Oval on Thursday, and Hales was in Bristol on Tuesday "helping police with enquiries." Stokes, 26, had an X-ray on his hand following the incident, but the England & Wales Cricket Board declined to comment (TELEGRAPH, 9/26).
