Barcelona forward LUIS SUAREZ has signed a "new five-year contract with the club that will keep him there" until '21. During his time with the club he has scored 97 goals in 116 games in all competitions and the "new buy-out clause will be set" at €200M ($208M) (EUROSPORT, 12/14). ... Five-time Olympic Gold Medalist WU MINXIA, China's "most successful female diver, announced her retirement" due to her "physical condition." She said, "Now, though reluctantly, it's time to leave. The story of Chinese diving didn't start with me and it won't end with me" (REUTERS, 12/15). ... Brazilian int'l midfielder LUCAS LIMA's agent said that the player is "poised to join a Chinese Super League club next year" after receiving an offer that is "impossible to refuse." WAGNER RIBEIRO, who manages the affairs of several top Brazilian players, "did not reveal the name of the club," but said the proposal included an annual salary of more than $15M (GLOBAL TIMES, 12/15). ... Track cyclist JESS VARNISH has "demanded British Cycling release her personal data after she was subject to sexism at the organisation." Ex-Technical Dir SHANE SUTTON was "found to have used sexist language towards Varnish, but was cleared of eight of nine allegations against him." Varnish is "entitled to see her records under the Data Protection Act" (BBC, 12/14). ... Former England football captain RIO FERDINAND and his restaurant pledged £500,000 ($622,205) "of toys and gifts to a children's charity." The former ManU player posted on his Facebook page that he and his Rosso Restaurant hoped to "put a smile on local kids' faces this Christmas" (BBC, 12/15).
