Swiss Ski "is looking for a new media coordinator ski Alpine women." Current Media Coordinator Ski Alpine Women ISABELLE VAN BEEK "will leave the skiing federation at the end of the season to take on a new position at the Swiss public broadcasters." The top candidate to succeed her is former model FABIENNE KROPF (BLICK, 2/14). ... RAFAEL NADAL expressed surprise that the Rio Olympics tournament will be "played on hardcourt and not clay." Nadal: "I am surprised that in a country which has clay specialists the Olympics are going to be on hardcourt" (AFP, 2/14). ... Six-time Olympic Gold Medal winner USAIN BOLT said that he will retire after the 2017 world championships in London. The 28-year had "previously hinted the 2016 Rio Olympics would be his last competition," but sponsorship commitments dictated he will continue until '17 where he will "focus solely on the 100 meters" (SHANGHAI DAILY, 2/15). ... England Manager ROY HODGSON has urged pundit GARY NEVILLE to "choose coaching over television punditry," saying he considers the former ManU defender a "possible future England manager." Since retiring from playing Neville has "combined jobs as a Sky pundit, where he has been lauded for redefining the role," with his post as Hodgson's No. 2. Hodgson, who appointed Neville to his coaching staff shortly after getting the job in May '12, "has never had an issue with the dual role but Neville said recently he would not be able to go on doing both jobs" and knew he had a "decision to make in the next 18 months" about his future (London GUARDIAN, 2/14). ... The All India Football Federation named I-League side Bengaluru's SUNIL CHHETRI men's player of the year, while BALA DEVI won the award for women's player of the year (THE HINDU, 2/14).
BARTOMEU POINTS FINGER: Barcelona President JOSEP MARIA BARTOMEU spent three hours giving testimony in the Madrid High Court on Friday. He is accused of an alleged tax fraud of €2.8M ($3.2M) from the "final tranche of the transfer fee" paid to sign NEYMAR. Bartomeu declined to comment as he exited the building. Bartomeu reportedly "told the court that he did not oversee the contracts and pointed the finger" at his successor, SANDRO ROSELL, as "being responsible for having them drawn up" (AS, 2/13).
