Newly hired Bayern Munich coach PEP GUARDIOLA has had conferences in México, Colombia and Argentina. Now he has been contacted by former Chilean Football President HAROLD MAYNE-NICHOLLS. Mayne-Nicholls said on Twitter, "Yesterday in New York after spending time with him, I invited Pep Guardiola to Chile. I will use his leadership concepts in my speech" (SPORT, 5/15). ... ManU defender RIO FERDINAND "has announced his retirement" from int'l football after 81 caps for England. The 34-year-old made his debut in '97, and has "represented his country at three World Cups" (EUROSPORT, 5/15). ... Swedish PM FREDRIK REINFELDT, heptathlete CAROLINA KLÜFT, ice hockey goalie VLADISLAV TRETIAK and IOC President JACQUES ROGGE are among the VIPs who will take part in Sunday's IIHF Hall of Fame induction at the Globe Arena in Stockholm (IIHF). ... ZELJKO PAVLICEVIC "is leaving the Shimane Susanoo Magic" to coach a National Basketball League (rebranded Japan Basketball League) team this season (JAPAN TIMES, 5/15). ... EPL side Queens Park Rangers striker LOIC REMY "has been arrested on suspicion of rape." The 26-year-old France int'l was in custody at a police station in west London "after being arrested by Scotland Yard's specialist sexual crimes squad" (LONDON TIMES, 5/15). ... The UCI said that French cyclist SYLVAIN GEORGES "tested positive for a banned stimulant at the Giro d'Italia." The 29-year-old, "who is on the AG2R-La Mondiale team, tested for the drug heptaminol." Separately, the UCI said that it suspended Venezuelan cyclist MIGUEL UBETO "after he tested positive for metabolic modulator GW1516 in an out-of-competition test last month" (BLOOMBERG, 5/15). ... NBA L.A. Lakers forward PAU GASOL will not play for Spain at the Eurobasket 2013 in Slovenia due to recent knee surgery (EL MUNDO, 5/15). ... Russian mountain climber ALEXEY BOLOTOV died Wednesday after falling from a camp site on Mount Everest (EXAMINER, 5/15). On Wednesday, the new FIFPro headquarters in Amsterdam was inaugurated with the presence of Barcelona players XAVI HERNÁNDEZ, GERARD PIQUÉ, CESC FÁBREGAS, MARC BARTRA and CARLES PUYOL. The Spanish players participated in a press conference to support the int'l professional football players association, then boarded a return flight to Barcelona to train with teammates (MARCA, 5/15).
