Names In The News

The National Rugby League ordered MATT LODGE to pay back the victims of his N.Y. "rampage" and "threatened to sever his contract unless he comes up with a payment plan." As debate "continues to swirl about the controversial Brisbane prop's participation in the game," the NRL put its foot down and ordered him to begin paying back the A$1.6M ($1.2M) ordered following a U.S. civil lawsuit (AAP, 3/22). ... Olympian SOUMYAJIT GHOSH's Commonwealth Games participation is "in serious doubt" after a police complaint was lodged against the table tennis player for "allegedly raping a teenager." An 18-year-old girl filed a report in Barasat, India, on Wednesday accusing Ghosh of "raping her on a false promise of marriage" (THE HINDU, 3/22).

GALACTIC SHIFT: Major League Soccer side L.A. Galaxy signed a deal with former ManU forward ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC, "successfully ending the club's three-year effort to bring the aging Swedish superstar" to MLS. It is "unclear" when he will join the club (L.A. TIMES, 3/22).