Former footballer GEORGE WEAH defeated Liberia VP JOSEPH BOAKAI
to win the country’s presidential run-off election with 61.5% of the
vote based on 98.1% of ballots cast. Weah will succeed incumbent
President ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF next month in what will be
Liberia’s first democratic transition since '44. Weah played for AC
Milan, Paris St. Germain and Chelsea, and was the only African to win
the FIFA World Player of the Year award (RTÉ, 12/28). ...British boxer ANTHONY JOSHUA "cheekily asked" PRINCE HARRY if he can be his best man for the royal wedding with MEGHAN MARKLE. Joshua was a guest of Prince Harry as the royal "continued his stint with the BBC's Radio 4." The wedding is set for May, just after Joshua's planned unification fight with New Zealander JOSEPH PARKER (STUFF, 12/28). ... CHRISTIAN SCOTLAND-WILLIAMSON left Premiership Rugby side Worcester Warriors to "pursue a career in American football in Florida." The 24-year-old will head to the U.S. to work with NFL coaches "in the hope of earning a place on a team roster" for the '18 season. He said, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and one that I simply can't turn down" (BBC, 12/28). ... Former England national football team Manager STEVE MCCLAREN left his role as coaching consultant at Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, which he joined in August. Maccabi CEO BEN MANSFORD said that McClaren was leaving the club to "pursue other options" (BBC, 12/28). ... Former sumo champion HARUMAFUJI was charged with "assaulting a junior wrestler" in a scandal that has "rocked Japan's ceremonial sport." The 33-year-old wrestler from Mongolia already apologized and stepped down over the incident. He is "facing a summary indictment, which means he is expected to be fined rather than tried in court" (BBC, 12/28).
