Former Argentine first division side River Plate President DANIEL PASSARELLA has been called to testify on suspicion of "irregularities in the sale of match tickets with the goal of financing the club's barrabravas." Sources said that his court date is March 30 (TÉLAM, 12/15). ... Barcelona's LIONEL MESSI and NEYMAR "have been left out" of UEFA's Champions League group stage XI, despite the pair contending for the Ballon d'Or award. LUIS SUAREZ, the team's top scorer with five goals in Group E, "also missed out." Real Madrid's CRISTIANO RONALDO, Zenit St. Petersburg's HULK and Bayern Munich's THOMAS MÜLLER make up UEFA's attacking unit in the 4-3-3 formation (BBC, 12/15). ... Russian cross country skiing national team coach EDUARD MIKHAILOV "died in a car accident, the official website of the Federation of ski races of Russia writes."
The accident "occurred on Monday," 30km from Perm, Russia (TATAR, 12/15). ... New Zealand’s rugby players have started a trust fund to support the two sons of JONAH LOMU, "one of the sport’s greatest champions, after it emerged that he was almost penniless when he died last month." As the state of his finances emerged, fellow players "set up the Jonah Lomu Legacy Trust to support his boys" DHYREILLE, 6, and BRAYLEY, 5, but the fund will reportedly exclude NADENE, the boys' mother and Lomu’s third wife (London TELEGRAPH, 12/15). ... CONMEBOL suspended Brazil national team midfielder FRED for one year "after his second drug test during Copa America 2015 also came back positive for a banned substance." Fred, 22, who is currently playing for Ukrainian Premier League side Shakhtar Donetsk, "tested positive for a banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide, which is a prohibited substance that be used as a masking agent for others." The ban is in effect until June 26 and applies only to CONMEBOL events, "although FIFA may extend it" (AP, 12/15). ... Jamaica's USAIN BOLT "will prepare for the Rio Olympics by competing at the 2016 London Anniversary Games."
The six-time Olympic champion "returns to the track" where he won triple Gold at the 2012 London Olympics to take part in the event from July 22-23 (BBC, 12/15).
