Haas Formula 1 driver ROMAIN GROSJEAN was "hit with a five-second penalty for contact in the opening exchanges" with Force India driver ESTEBAN OCON at last month's French Grand Prix and "he is still far from amused," calling the decision "absolute nonsense" and suggesting that the race stewards must have been "drinking rosé wine" to have issued the penalty (AUTOWEEK, 6/28). ... The police commander on the day of the Hillsborough disaster will "stand trial for manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 Liverpool fans after a judge lifted a stay on his prosecution." DAVID DUCKENFIELD, 73, was in charge when the fans "were crushed to death at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium" during an FA Cup semifinal match in April '89. Four other defendants charged with the matters related to the disaster will also face trial (FINANCIAL TIMES, 6/29). ... TODD CARNEY's stint with Super Premiership NSW club North Sydney Bears is "over before it began" after he refused to pay former club Northern Pride the A$15,000 ($11,085) release fee it demanded before the June 30 transfer deadline. Carney signed a contract with the Bears for the remainder of the '18 season in May in a bid to return to football in Sydney (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 6/30). ... Former world champion and Vancouver 2010 Bronze Medalist DAISUKE TAKAHASHI on Sunday announced his "return to competitive figure skating after hanging up his skates" in '14. The 32-year-old Takahashi retired from competition in Oct. '14, saying that he had been "struggling to keep his motivation since before the Sochi Games earlier that year" (KYODO, 7/1). ... Sauber Formula 1's CHARLES LECLERC "is poised to move to Ferrari next season." The 20-year-old has agreed, but not signed, a two-year deal to be SEBASTIAN VETTEL's teammate until '20, according to a source close to Ferrari. If the deal is confirmed, it would mean the end of KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN's five-year stay at Ferrari (BBC, 6/29). ... Winners at this past weekend's cycling Sprint Grand Prix in Cottbus, Germany, were asked to "donate their prize money" to injured German double Olympic champion KRISTINA VOGEL, who is in stable condition after suffering a "serious spinal injury" while training on Tuesday. Four-time world champion MAXIMILIAN LEVY "wrote a letter to riders asking them to help fund Vogel's recovery" (BBC, 6/29).
WIMBLEDON WITHDRAWAL: ANDY MURRAY on Sunday "delivered the message Wimbledon was dreading: he is pulling out of the tournament." He said, "It's with regret I'm withdrawing from Wimbledon," having indicated only 24 hours before that he was ready and fit to play "unless in the next couple of days I wake up and don't feel good." However, his subsequent explanation "would seem to contradict that reasoning." He is pulling out "mainly because he doubts he could compete in a best-of-five match" (London GUARDIAN, 7/1).
