Former Liverpool defender JOHN ARNE RIISE "announced his retirement from football at the age of 35." The left-back, a Champions League winner with Liverpool in '05, has made 10 appearances for Norwegian side Aalesund, "the club with whom he started his career." Riise said that he decided to walk away after "realising he is no longer able to cope with the physical demands" (PA, 6/13). ... JARRYD HAYNE arrived in Fiji on Monday to "join the 22-member Vodafone Fiji 7s squad in preparations for the upcoming Rio Olympic Games." Hayne said that "he was privileged to be part of the squad and was looking forward to train in the warm weather." Hayne: "It is cold in Sydney so it is good to be here" (FIJI TIMES, 6/13). ... Tennis player LAURA ROBSON, "who is trying to make a comeback after a wrist injury that has been severely influencing her career," has split with her coach MAURICIO HADAD. The lefty "appointed Hadad in March 2014, but she has been sidelined for much of that time with nagging wrist problems that only started to fully heal in February of this year" (VAVEL, 6/12). ... England rugby player JAMES HASKELL "has been appointed" the lead rugby coach for the int'l coaching project, CoachTube USA. The project, founded by WADE FLOYD, allows anyone in the world to access video coaching and instruction (CoachTube). ... On the eve of the Canadian F1 Grand Prix, Tag Heuer CEO & LVMH Watch Division President JEAN-CLAUDE BIVER
hosted the #DontCrackUnderPressure Challenge
with Red Bull driver DANIEL RICCIARDO, New England Patriots quarterback TOM BRADY and Montreal Impact striker DIDIER DROGBA. The event raised $45,000 for Saint Justine Hospital (Tag Heuer).
'SUICIDAL' SEAGULLS: SEBASTIAN VETTEL "offered one of Formula One's more exotic excuses on Sunday" by saying that he had lost time in the Canadian Grand Prix by "saving seagulls from being flattened by his Ferrari." After finishing second to Mercedes' LEWIS HAMILTON, Vettel said, "I think it was a couple that wanted to commit suicide. ... They were at the apex of turn one. Lewis obviously didn't care so he made up quite a bit of time, about half a second. ... By the time Lewis came around, they just flew off. Wasn't fair. I brake for animals, Lewis doesn't" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 6/13).
