Chilean footballer ARTURO VIDAL has had a "very lucky escape after he was involved in a serious car crash Tuesday." Multiple media reports quoted the Chilean National Police, and prosecutors, as saying that Vidal "had been under the influence of alcohol, and was at fault for the crash." One side of his red Ferrari "has almost been completely ripped away." He "is expected to go before a local judge on Wednesday." In a YouTube video posted on his Twitter account, Vidal confirmed he had been involved in a collision and said that "nobody had been injured" and that it "wasn't his fault" (CNN, 6/17). ... Britain's LIZZIE ARMITSTEAD has been taken to hospital "following a crash seconds after she won the first stage of the Women's Tour in Aldeburgh." Armitstead, 26, raised her arms in celebration "before colliding with somebody inside the barriers after putting her hands back on her bike." The extent of her injuries "is not yet known" (BBC, 6/17). ... Australian world champion runner and former Gold Coast Mayor RON CLARKE has died. Clarke "became a running legend" in the '50s and '60s, during which he set 17 world records. He died after a short illness in hospital at the age of 78 (BBC, 6/17). ... National Olympic Committee of Kenya President and double Olympic Gold Medalist KIPCHOGE KEINO visited the Rio 2016 organizing committee to get a feel for the 2016 host city and see for himself how things are shaping up ahead of the Games. Keino: "I am very impressed with the preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I am very proud to see how everything is progressing" (Rio 2016). ... Former England striker JAMES BEATTIE has been appointed first-team coach at EPL side Swansea City. The 37-year-old played alongside Swansea Manager GARRY MONK at Southampton. He will "share first-team coaching duties" with KRISTIAN O'LEARY and ALAN CURTIS, and will be "responsible for coaching the forwards" (BBC, 6/16).
NEYMAR NAMED IN LAWSUIT: A Spanish judge has accepted a legal complaint filed by Brazilian investment fund DIS that alleges "it was the victim of a fraud perpetrated" in Barcelona's signing of forward NEYMAR from Brasileiro club Santos. DIS, which owned 40% of Neymar's rights when he was at Santos, "alleges it was paid less than half the cash it was entitled to" when the player agreed to join Barcelona in '13. The club, former President SANDRO ROSELL, incumbent JOSEP MARIA BARTOMEU, who is standing for re-election, Neymar, his father, Santos and two of the Brazilian club's execs "were all named in the lawsuit, according to a court statement published on Wednesday." The complaint is the "latest twist to a saga that has resulted in Barcelona, Rosell and Bartomeu facing trial for tax fraud over the Neymar deal." However, this is the "first time that Neymar himself has been named as a defendant in a lawsuit linked to the transfer" (REUTERS, 6/17).
