Tottenham striker HARRY KANE is the first English player to be crowned the Football Supporters' Federation men's player of the year. The two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner "topped a poll of almost a quarter of a million fans from the six-strong shortlist," ahead of runner-up KEVIN DE BRUYNE (PA, 12/4). ... The FA of Wales "ruled out the prospect of an Englishman being named the next Wales manager." It hopes to have a successor to CHRIS COLEMAN "in place in time for the draw for the Nations League" on Jan. 24. FAW CEO JONATHAN FORD said, "We have always favored Welsh people because arguably the passion is there. Somebody said this earlier, Welsh most definitely, foreign possibly, but definitely not English" (BBC, 12/5). ... Rio 2016 British weightlifter SONNY WEBSTER "admitted defeat after spending his life savings in an attempt to overturn a four-year doping ban." Four months ago, an out-of-competition test showed trace amounts of ostarine, which is used to treat osteoporosis. Webster, 23, "has twice since rejected offers to halve the punishment by pleading guilty, insisting he does not know how it got into his system" (BBC, 12/5). ... Cyclist PETER SAGAN ended his dispute with the Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) over his disqualification from this year's Tour de France. The Slovak "was deemed to have caused the crash" which caused the injured MARK CAVENDISH to withdraw from the race. The matter will be closed after UCI said that "the parties agreed that the crash was an unfortunate and unintentional race incident" (BBC, 12/5). ... England women's striker JODIE TAYLOR "rounded off a remarkable year by winning the vote to be named Action Woman of the Year." Taylor, who won the Golden Boot at Women's Euro 2017 in July, was presented with her award at the BT Sport Action Woman Awards (London TELEGRAPH, 12/4). ... The former VP of Serie B club Foggia was arrested in a "Milan mafia probe into tax dodging," police said Monday. RUGGIERO MASSIMO CURCI, an accountant who is currently Foggia's honorary VP, is accused of orchestrating a "huge" tax-dodging and money laundering scheme, according to police (ANSA, 12/4). ... USAIN BOLT described the unveiling of his statue in front of Kingston's National Stadium "as one of the greatest moments of his career." The statue, commissioned by the Jamaican government and revealed by Jamaican PM ANDREW HOLNESS, stands in front of the place where 15 years ago Bolt won the junior championships to "announce himself to the world." Bolt: "Having a statue in the National Stadium where it all began. There are no words, I am just happy and really excited about this" (REUTERS, 12/4).
