A Spanish court has dropped a tax fraud investigation into LIONEL MESSI and his foundation "linked to six friendly matches." The court in Barcelona said on Monday that "it was satisfied neither the player nor the Lionel Messi Foundation were involved in trying to defraud Spain's tax office in this instance." An investigation looked into possible tax offenses around a series of games played over a 13-month period from June '12 to July '13 (AP, 12/14). ... Six-time cyclo-cross World Cup winner SVEN NYS "will retire from racing at the end of the season in March, at which point he will take over as owner and manager of a rival team." Telenet-Fidea Owner HANS VAN KASTEREN said that Nys "will add value to the team and noted the Belgian's ability to develop the squad's young riders as a key factor in his decision" (CYCLING WEEKLY, 12/14). ... MARC DAL MASO, who won two Five Nations Grand Slams with France and was coach for Japan at this year's World Cup, announced Monday that he has Parkinson's Disease. Dal Maso said that he had "decided to go public because people were starting to talk." Dal Maso: "There were rumors doing the rounds so rather than listen to people say stupid things it was better that they know" (FRANCE24, 12/14).
CLEARS HOUSE: England will have "an entirely new coaching line-up under EDDIE JONES for the Six Nations Championship," with the departed STUART LANCASTER’s three assistants, GRAHAM ROWNTREE, ANDY FARRELL and MIKE CATT, all leaving their roles. Former England captain STEVE BORTHWICK "will join his former Japan colleague Jones to look after the forwards" (London INDEPENDENT, 12/12).
