South African rugby's record try-scorer, BRYAN HABANA, will retire at the end of the season. The 34-year-old, who scored 67 tries in 124 tests, was part of the Springboks side that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup (BBC, 4/24). ... Former France football int'l HENRI MICHEL, who coached eight countries during a 30-year managerial career, died, aged 70. He was capped 58 times by France and coached the team from '84-88 (BBC, 4/24). ... LANCE ARMSTRONG "will not be allowed to be accredited as a guest or podcaster at the opening stages of the Giro d'Italia after announcing his plans to travel to Israel" for the Grand Partenza, having reached a settlement deal with the U.S. government and former teammate FLOYD LANDIS over the "whistleblower" lawsuit. Armstrong will have any accreditation request "rejected due to his lifetime ban from cycling for doping" (London INDEPENDENT, 4/24). ... After JHULAN GOSWAMI became the fist woman to reach 200 ODI wickets, India "produced a commemorative postage stamp" featuring her to "mark the occasion." The 35-year-old is pictured in her Indian colors on the stamp "alongside a photo of the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata" (STUFF, 4/23). ... The case against "disgraced" former horse trainer ROBERT SMERDON will "go ahead on Monday after he failed in a legal bid" to challenge Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board's jurisdiction. Smerdon is facing 115 charges "relating to the administration of alkalinising agents and/or medications to a horse or horses on race days" between '10 and '17, after a "lengthy investigation" by Racing Victoria stewards (COURIER-MAIL, 4/24). ... CARLO ANCELOTTI, one of the candidates to takeover as Arsenal manager, was "offered the position of head coach by Italy." The 58-year-old has not yet decided whether to accept the role and there is "still an agreement to be reached over the financial terms on offer." Should Ancelotti reach an agreement with the Italian FA, it "would not only end his chances of taking over at the Emirates" but would also "close the door" on ANTONIO CONTE taking the national job (LONDON TIMES, 4/24). ... Team Sky named Britain's CHRIS FROOME in its team for the Giro d'Italia starting next month "despite the ongoing investigation into his adverse doping test." Froome, 32, is "fighting to clear his name" after an increased dosage of asthma medication at the Vuelta a España last year "threw up an adverse analytical finding from a urine sample" (REUTERS, 4/24).
