Mercedes specialist HWA will enter the '18-19 Formula E season "as a customer entry" with powertrains provided by Venturi. HWA already partnered with Venturi for the current campaign, "with its engineering personnel embedded in the Monaco-based manufacturer's team and the company providing additional technical support." Using Venturi's Gen2 powertrain, HWA will bring the number of FE teams up to 11 for next season, and its entry comes ahead of Mercedes' arrival in the electric championship for '19-20 (AUTOSPORT, 5/9).
Some Ladies European Tour players "are having to take part-time jobs" because "it's pretty much impossible" to make a living otherwise, golfer Melissa Reid said. The LET has 14 scheduled events this year -- a situation Reid, who joined the Tour in '08, calls "heartbreaking." The 30-year-old Englishwoman said, "The LET needs help and quickly." The LPGA Tour was reported to be "keen to help the LET" but the offer was not accepted and "that avenue is now closed" (BBC, 5/8).
The "biggest scandal in Australian horse racing" led to life bans for trainer Robert Smerdon, his long-term assistant Greg Nelligan and Nelligan's wife, Denise. The other five members of the "Aquanita eight" were handed "lengthy suspensions" by the Racing Appeals & Disciplinary Board at Melbourne's County Court on Thursday. Stuart Webb was given a four-year ban for his involvement, while Tony Vasil and Trent Pennuto were banned for three and two years, respectively. Trainer Liam Birchley and float driver Danny Garland each received one-year sanctions (London GUARDIAN, 5/10).
UAE-based cricket coach Irfan Ansari was "provisionally suspended and charged with three counts of corruption," the Int'l Cricket Council said on Thursday. Ansari, the coach of the One Stop Tourism and Multiplex team, has two weeks from May 19 to respond to the charges. Ansari has been charged with "making a corrupt approach to a player and for not cooperating in an investigation by the ICC's anti-corruption unit since last October" (REUTERS, 5/10).
