LUKA MODRIC was named the world's best male player at The Best FIFA Football Awards in London. The Real Madrid midfielder, 33, beat former teammate CRISTIANO RONALDO and Liverpool's MOHAMED SALAH to win the award. Brazil int'l MARTA won the best female player award. France Manager DIDIER DESCHAMPS -- whose side beat Modric's Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final -- was named best men's coach. Salah received the Puskas award for the best goal, for his effort against Everton last December (BBC, 9/24). ... Former Arsenal Manager ARSÈNE WENGER made his return to football by playing in a charity match in memory of ALDO PLATINI. The match, which was also staged in an effort to raise money for sick children, took place in Nancy, France, on Sunday. Former UEFA President MICHEL PLATINI, son of Aldo, attended the game "which marked the opening of a stadium carrying the name of his father" (London DAILY MAIL, 9/24). ... Boxer BILLY JOE SAUNDERS was fined £100,000 ($131,815) by the British Boxing Board of Control for posting a video on social media in which he offered a woman £150 ($197) worth of drugs to "perform a sex act on another person." The 29-year-old British WBO middleweight champion later deleted the video from Twitter and tweeted an apology, describing his action as "banter when wrong." Nottinghamshire police are reportedly investigating the incident (REUTERS, 9/25). ... BILLY SLATER was granted the chance of a "fairy tale finish" to his rugby league career, with the Melbourne Storm player cleared to play in Sunday's National Rugby League grand final after avoiding suspension for a shoulder charge (ABC, 9/25). ... Silver Fern MARIA FOLAU signed with the Adelaide Thunderbirds to play in the '19 Australian Super Netball competition. Folau "called time on her career" with the Northern Mystics last month to make a full time move to Sydney and join her husband, ISRAEL (NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 9/25).
SAUBER SHIFT: Italian ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI will race for Sauber Formula 1 next season in a new lineup with former world champion KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN, the Swiss-based team said on Tuesday. Giovinazzi, who had been the reserve driver, made two race starts last year as a replacement for the injured PASCAL WEHRLEIN (REUTERS, 9/25).
