ALEX FERGUSON was joined by a string of ManU players at the funeral of RIO FERDINAND's "'soulmate' wife" REBECCA FERDINAND. The former England captain "laid his wife and mother-of-his three children to rest in an intimate ceremony in Bromley on Tuesday." Ferguson, Ferdinand's former ManU boss, "attended the wake with some of the team's current players," including ROBIN VAN PERSIE. Former players EDWIN VAN DER SAR, NEMANJA VIDIC and DARREN FLETCHER "also attended the private ceremony" (London DAILY MAIL, 5/14). ... Surfer RAONI MONTEIRO "was suspended for 20 months" by the World Surf League after failing a doping test in December. The test "suggested the use of a performance enhancing substance." Monteiro: "I made a mistake by accident, but there are rules to follow that I broke. My goal now is to work hard this time out of the competition, to better myself and compete again next year" (FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO, 5/13). ... Tottenham Hotspur announced that goalkeeper BRAD FRIEDEL will retire from the game at the end of the season. The American, who also played for Liverpool, Blackburn and Aston Villa, turns 44 on Monday. Friedel: "There really is nothing like it but my 44th birthday is here so I think it is a good time to call it a day" (London INDEPENDENT, 5/14). ... RASMUS LARSEN, a 20-year-old Danish NBA prospect playing in Europe, was found dead in his home in Belgium on Wednesday. The 6-foot-11 Larsen "did not enter his name for this year's draft but was considered a solid prospect" for '16 (FOX SPORTS, 5/13). ... Save the Children has denied reports that CRISTIANO RONALDO made a £5M ($7.9M) donation toward its earthquake relief effort in Nepal (London GUARDIAN, 5/14).
