Former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder XABI ALONSO "is set for a surprise retirement from football at the end of the season" when his Bayern Munich contract expires. The 35-year-old has not signed a new contract with the Bundesliga champion despite fellow veteran ARJEN ROBBEN "already putting pen to paper" (London INDEPENDENT, 1/18). ... An Egyptian court has added former footballer MOHAMED ABOUTRIKA to the authorities' terror list, his lawyer said on Tuesday, "based on suspicions he financed the banned Muslim Brotherhood." In '15, a government committee froze the assets of the former player for Cairo-based club Al Ahly and Egypt's national team, two years after he retired. The government accused him of financing the Brotherhood, which was classified as a terrorist organization at the end of '13 (AFP, 1/18). ... The man who "guided" Fiji to 2016 Rio Olympic Sevens Gold has joined the Welsh Rugby Union as a consultant. Englishman BEN RYAN has joined the WRU to work with all men's teams outside ROB HOWLEY's national squad, and all Wales' women's teams. The 45-year-old has been working with the NBA since leaving his role with Fiji (BBC, 1/18). ... Irish Olympic boxer ADAM NOLAN announced his "retirement from the ring" at the age of 29. Nolan, a five-time National Senior Elite champion who fought in the 2012 London Olympics, made the announcement on Facebook and added that he is "looking forward to playing more hurling with his club Oulart the Ballagh in Wexford" (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 1/18). ... MLB Texas Rangers Korean outfielder CHOO SHIN-SOO will "likely miss his chance to represent his country at the upcoming World Baseball Classic." The WBC is an int'l baseball tournament scheduled to begin March 6. Choo had previously expressed his "strong desire" to play in the WBC. Media reported last month "the Rangers plan to submit forms that allow them to object allowing" starting pitcher YU DARVISH, shortstop ELVIS ANDRUS and Choo from participating (KOREA TIMES, 1/18). ... Iran's first two women volleyball players to compete outside the Islamic Republic joined Bulgarian club Shumen this month, "a move which has taken years of negotiation with Iranian authorities and which could help break down some gender barriers at home." Women are still not allowed to attend men's volleyball matches in Iran despite attempts since President HASSAN ROUHANI's election in '15 to "relax some of the strict Muslim rules that limit women's activities to the family and home." MAEDEH BORHANI, 28, and team captain ZEINAB GIVEH, 34, arrived in the northeastern town of Shumen "amid a rising tide of nationalism" (REUTERS, 1/18).