South Korean Sports Minister DO JONG-HWAN headed to Switzerland on Wednesday for a meeting with representatives from North Korea and the IOC over further inter-Korean sports cooperation. The meeting, scheduled for Friday at the IOC HQ in Lausanne, will cover the organization of unified Korean teams at Tokyo 2020 and a joint Korean bid for the 2032 Summer Games (YONHAP, 2/13). ... The founder of Atlético Madrid's football school, MANUEL BRIÑAS, "admitted to sexually abusing a minor" after a victim's claim was published in El País. The incident involving Briñas, 88, took place in '73 (ABC, 2/13). ... DECLAN RICE submitted a written request to FIFA to transfer his registration from the Republic of Ireland to England, "ending a long-running saga" over his int'l allegiance (London GUARDIAN, 2/13). ... SERGIO GARCIA apologized for his disqualification from the Saudi Int'l earlier this month and said that he "let his emotions get the better of him." He said on Instagram, "What happened is not an example I want to set, and it’s not who I truly am. I am an emotional player and while I believe that’s one of my biggest strengths, it’s also one of my biggest flaws" (REUTERS, 2/13). ... British Olympic Gold Medal-winning cyclist CALLUM SKINNER urged his fellow athletes to sign up for a new global body, Global Athlete, that he says will "stand up for their rights" -- and ensure they are no longer treated with "disdain" by the IOC and WADA (GUARDIAN, 2/13).
