MO FARAH will begin his new career as a full-time road runner when he competes in The Big Half on the streets of London, his "warm-up race" before the London Marathon. Farah, who retired from track racing last summer, reportedly signed a deal to compete in the inaugural running of the event, which is organized by the London Marathon (LONDON TIMES, 11/20). ... BERNARD SAINZ, nicknamed "Doctor Mabuse," was arrested on Monday at his home in the Orne département in northwestern France as part of a French cycling doping investigation. A judicial inquiry was opened in Paris on Feb. 10 "on the back of evidence outlined against Sainz" in an episode of French TV show "Cash Investigation" in '16. In the documentary, Sainz was recorded by a hidden camera as he explained doping practices to riders (CYCLING NEWS, 11/20). ... Boxer DAVID HAYE was "forced to postpone his grudge rematch" with TONY BELLEW after "suffering a freak arm injury while tripping on stairs." The pair had been "due for a rerun" on Dec. 17 at the O2 after Bellew "caused a huge upset in March, when Haye was stopped in the 11th round after rupturing his achilles tendon midway through the fight" (London DAILY MAIL, 11/20). ... Driver FERNANDO ALONSO completed his first World Endurance Championship test Sunday, "all but confirming that he will be competing in the 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours." Alonso completed an initial 37-lap run in the No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing LMP1 following Saturday’s WEC Six Hours of Bahrain -- a race that was won by SÉBASTIEN BUEMI in that very car -- and then "successfully completed the rookie test later in the day" (AUTOWEEK, 11/19).
WTA MOURNS: JANA NOVOTNA, who "won the hearts of the tennis world by sobbing on the shoulder of a member of the British royal family after a tough loss in the Wimbledon final," died, aged 49. The WTA announced Novotna's death on Monday, saying that she died on Sunday "after a long battle with cancer." Novotna died in her native Czech Republic. Novotna won her only grand slam singles title at Wimbledon in '98 (REUTERS, 11/20).
