Auto Racing
F1’s 82-year-old billionaire boss charged with bribery
LONDON – Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone was charged by German prosecutors with paying a $44-million bribe, placing his future as head of the motor sport series in doubt.
The 82-year-old British billionaire has been under investigation since a German banker was convicted of taking the payment from him in connection with the sale of a stake in F1.
The Munich state court said Ecclestone has until mid-August to respond to charges of bribery and incitement to breach of trust in connection with Gerhard Gribkowsky’s management of the bank BayernLB’s 47-percent stake in F1.
Andretti Autosport will drive in the new FIA Formula E
Andretti Autosport announced Wednesday it signed on as the third team to compete in the environmentally friendly FIA Formula E championship, which will feature electric cars racing in 10 cities around the world beginning in 2014.
Michael Andretti’s two-car operation will join China Racing and British-based Drayson Racing as organizations already committed to a field that will have 10 two-car teams competing in each e-Prix.
Renault has signed on as the car manufacturer, but series officials expect three to five manufacturers in the second season based on current conversations. Michelin is the tire supplier.
College Athletics
EA and NCAA will cut ties when their contract expires
The NCAA announced Wednesday it is not renewing its licensing contract with Electronic Arts for a college football video game when the deal expires in June 2014.
In a statement, the association said because of “the current business climate and costs of litigation, we determined participating in this game is not in the best interests of the NCAA.”
The NCAA and EA are co-defendants in an antitrust suit concerning the use of college athletes’ names and likenesses that is pending before a federal district court. EA is the defendant in two other cases pertaining to the use of athletes’ likenesses that have reached the federal appellate level.
High School Athletics
Wiggins and Andrews are Prep Athletes of the Year
LOS ANGELES – Andrew Wiggins, headed to Kansas as one of the nation’s most highly recruited basketball players, and soccer player Morgan Andrews, a Notre Dame recruit, were honored as national prep athletes of the year Tuesday night.
Wiggins averaged a double-double in 25 minutes per game at Huntington St. Joseph’s Prep in West Virginia. The Toronto native has been a fixture on Canada’s junior national team. He twice led bronze medal-winning teams at the international level.
Andrews became just the second soccer player to win the national award in its 11-year history. The forward from Milford (N.H.) High scored 31 goals and had 18 assists while leading her team to a 16-3-1 record and the Division II state title. Andrews was captain of the national Under-17 women’s team last year. She’s also an All-State placekicker for her school’s football team.
Sports on TV
Olbermann is back on ESPN to host a late-night show
Keith Olbermann dreaded that he’d be remembered as the guy who rose to stardom at ESPN then left less than amicably.
“I don’t want that to be in the obituary, flatly,” he said on a conference call Wednesday. So, now he’s returning to the company as a late-night host, insisting that, this time, a gig won’t end badly.
“Olbermann,” which will premier Aug. 26, generally will air at 9 p.m. Monday-Friday on ESPN2, depending on live event coverage on the channel. Executives hope the show can exploit the ratings boost from the frequent live event lead-ins.
And starting next month, ESPN will face competition in the 9 p.m. slot from new cable channel Fox Sports 1’s nightly analysis and highlights show.
Associated Press
