Former Dutch footballer JOHAN CRUYFF warned that there "might be conflict between" LIONEL MESSI and NEYMAR. Cruyff: "It is not the boys. It is Nike and adidas. If you think about it a bit, you can see the problems that might arise, although I hope they won't." In the tax evasion affair, Cruyff declared that Messi "was innocent." Cruyff: "Do you really think that Messi knows even 2 percent of what there is to know about fiscal matters? He knows what I know, zero percent. Messi is not to blame. It is the people who do his tax, what he pays them for" (MARCA, 6/16). ... F1 driver MARK WEBBER thinks that F1's more experienced drivers "are struggling to get much satisfaction from the state of racing at the moment." With tires becoming "such a dominant factor" in '13, Webber believes that the way that degradation has to be managed through a race has "taken away some of the pleasure of battling wheel-to-wheel." Webber "I think as a group, especially for the guys north of 100 grands prix, we've seen a different make-up of how grands prix are run these days" (AUTOSPORT, 6/17). ... A 50-year-old Dutchman and six youths "were jailed for manslaughter" after they kicked and beat a football linesman to death during a match outside Amsterdam. The man got a six-year sentence and the teenagers "were sent to youth detention for up to 24 months" (BLOOMBERG, 6/17). ... Jordan King ABDULLAH II and UEFA President MICHEL PLATINI discussed "cooperation between Jordan and the UEFA." King Abdullah "highlighted opportunities available for strengthening cooperation between Jordan and the UEFA and FIFA in various fields of sports" (PETRA, 6/17). ... The FA of Singapore (FAS) announced that SHAKIR HAMZAH "has been suspended from all football activities" after the LionsXII defender "was charged for going absent without leave from his National Service duties" (STRAITS TIMES, 6/15). ... Barcelona President SANDRO ROSELL on Sunday traveled to Israel to participate in a commemorative celebration of Israeli President SHIMON PERES' 90th birthday. BILL CLINTON, HILLARY CLINTON and TONY BLAIR will also be present at the celebration (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 6/17).
DEATHS: Russian judo champion ELENA IVASHCHENKO "committed suicide last Saturday because of her failure during the London Olympics" (XINHUA, 6/17). ... Former Spanish basketball coach MANEL COMAS died at age 67 from lung cancer. In 30 years coaching basketball in Spain, Comas led 12 different teams, coaching more than 700 games from '79-08 (EL MUNDO, 6/17).
