English cricketer BEN STOKES was "charged with affray" over the alleged brawl which "cost him his place in England's Ashes squad." The player "stands accused of being involved in an altercation outside a Bristol nightclub almost four months ago." The 26-year-old was charged with two other men and is "due to appear" before Bristol Magistrates' Court on a date to be fixed (London TELEGRAPH, 1/15). ... Norwegian biathlete OLE EINAR BJØRNDALEN, "will not be competing" at PyeongChang 2018. The 43-year-old, who has 13 Olympic medals, "was not chosen by the Norwegian Biathlon Association for the Games" (BBC, 1/15). ... League Championship side Millwall is "poised to announce the shock signing" of Australian footballer TIM CAHILL. It would be a "stunning return to England" for the Socceroos striker, who became a "cult hero with Millwall fans" after his goals helped the club reach the FA Cup final in '04 (THE AUSTRALIAN, 1/15). ... Spanish authorities reopened their case against footballer XABI ALONSO for alleged tax fraud. An initial investigation was carried out in Sept. '15, when "undeclared income in relation to image rights was discovered." Alonso denied charges against him in '16 (THE SUN, 1/15).
NEW HOTBED?: Indianapolis 500 winner and two-time Champ Car champion GIL DE FERRAN said that Haas Formula 1 Team Principal GUNTHER STEINER's claims that there are currently no American drivers ready to step up to F1 are not "a fair point." Haas has "made no secret of its desire to run an American driver in F1." De Ferran said, "There is a lot of great American drivers, the current IndyCar champion [JOSEF NEWGARDEN] is a very talented driver" (MOTORSPORT, 1/14).
OBITUARIES: CYRILLE REGIS, the England striker who was "one of the country's first black football stars," died from a heart attack, aged 59. Regis played five times for the national team in the '80s and "spent seven illustrious years at West Bromwich Albion," making up one of a trio of black footballers alongside LAURIE CUNNINGHAM and BRENDON BATSON. They were nicknamed the Three Degrees, after the pop group, by club Manager RON ATKINSON. Born in French Guiana, Regis' family moved to the U.K. when he was five years old. After being "talent spotted" in non-league football, Regis joined West Brom in '77 before going on to play at Coventry City, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers (FINANCIAL TIMES, 1/15). ... DAN GURNEY, one of the "greatest Formula 1 drivers" of the '60s and a "towering figure in motorsport," died, aged 86. The American was the "first to spray champagne on the podium, and the first to wear a full-face helmet." He also took Porsche's first F1 victory, and was "one of the leading members of a golden generation of drivers" in the '60s, including JIM CLARK and JACKIE STEWART (BBC, 1/15). ... Former All Blacks Logistics Manager KEVIN CARR "lost his battle with pancreatic cancer" on Monday. A tribute to the former Royal Marine Commando and Royal New Zealand Navy Officer was posted on The Chalky Carr Trust Facebook page (STUFF, 1/15).
