Names In The News

Former Italian cyclist PAOLO BETTINI "has confirmed that he will be involved" with F1 driver FERNANDO ALONSO's project to create a cycling team to begin competing in '15. Bettini said of his conversations with Alonso, "It all happened very fast. We had spoken a little bit but everything happened in December, before Christmas. It was like a big train passing by and I decided to hop on it" (EL CONFIDENCIAL, 1/7). ... Brazilian footballer RONALDINHO has signed for Turkish side Beşiktaş in "one final roll of the dice to earn himself a place in Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazilian World Cup squad, according to reports." Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf report that the 33-year-old's contract could earn him £10M ($16M) "spread over two and a half years" (London INDEPENDENT, 1/7). ... Former football player MICHAEL JOHNSON has resigned from the Football Association's Inclusion Advisory Board after it came to light that he had described homosexuality as "detestable" (London GUARDIAN, 1/7).