A Paris court ordered former French Sports Minister ROSELYNE BACHELOT to pay €12,000 ($14,125) to tennis player RAFAEL NADAL over a doping allegation. Nadal sued her for damages, saying that "her comments were harmful to his image" (BBC, 11/16). ... Fifth-tier English side Ebbsfleet United is auctioning a "special" Mambo No. 5 shirt for charity after defender YADO MAMBO became an "unlikely hit on social media." The 26-year-old "rose to prominence" after Saturday’s televised game between Ebbsfleet and Leyton Orient. The mismatch between his squad number and the '99 LOU BEGA song that "bears his name" was "widely spread on social media" (London GUARDIAN, 11/16). ... Man City Owner SHEIKH MANSOUR "made a personal vow" to buy LIONEL MESSI as part of his mission to make his club the "dominant force in world football." The Barcelona forward has remained Man City’s No. 1 target since it came under Abu Dhabi rule in '08. The club "maintained the belief the Etihad would be his first choice if he ever left the Nou Camp" (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 11/16). ... Former footballer GARY ABLETT is "at the centre of a police probe over decades-old sexual assault allegations." Victoria Police detectives interviewed his alleged victim on "at least two separate occasions in October." The women, now aged 55, told police of an alleged sexual assault by Ablett in the late '70s (HERALD SUN, 11/16). ... Iranian weightlifter KIANOUSH ROSTAMI put his Rio 2016 Gold Medal up for auction to "raise money for the victims of last week's deadly 7.3-magnitude earthquake near the Iran-Iraq border." More than 400 people were killed and close to 10,000 were injured in the quake (BBC, 11/15). ... ROBERT SMERDON stood down as a director of training group Aquanita "as a result of investigations into alleged raceday treatment of one of his horses," but continues to train at his Caulfield base. Stewards allege a member of Smerdon's team attempted to administer a paste to LOVANI at Flemington last month. In a letter to clients, Aquanita Racing Chair PETER HOWELL said that he "has decided to stand down from the Aquanita board until it (investigation) is completed" (HERALD SUN, 11/16). ... Premiership Rugby side Leicester Tigers back-rower TOM CROFT announced his retirement from professional rugby "with immediate effect, bowing out on medical grounds after receiving advice on a neck injury." The 31-year-old collected 40 caps for England and featured in five tests for the British & Irish Lions over two tours in '09 and '13 (London TELEGRAPH, 11/16). ... Czech police ended their investigation into a knife attack on two-time Wimbledon champion PETRA KVITOVA last year that "forced her off the court for five months this season." The police "received a number of clues from the public but could not identify the attacker" (REUTERS, 11/16).
FIFA ETHICS: The judge and prosecutor removed from FIFA's ethics committee in May "set up an agency to advise on integrity in sports." The new Sports Governance Unit said that German judge HANS-JOACHIM ECKERT and Swiss prosecutor CORNEL BORBÉLY will lead the Zurich-based firm. Eckert and Borbély were "effectively fired" by FIFA President GIANNI INFANTINO at FIFA's congress in Bahrain (AP, 11/16).
