A French court "has dropped charges of sex with an underage prostitute" against footballers FRANCK RIBERY and KARIM BENZEMA. The judge ruled there was insufficient proof the men were aware that prostitue ZAHIA DEHAR "was a minor at the time the alleged offences took place" (BBC, 1/30). ... A Spanish court has summoned former Barcelona President SANDRO ROSELL to testify as a witness on Sept. 16 as part of the "investigation into charges against Rosell's predecessor, JOAN LAPORTA, regarding the team's losses during Laporta's tenure." Rosell has previously estimated that "the club lost more than €40M during Laporta's presidency, and Rosell criticized Laporta's unjustified expenses and poor investments in properties and players" (EL PAIS, 1/30). ... F1 CEO BERNIE ECCLESTONE on Thursday "ruled out paying millions to end his legal troubles in Germany and avoid ten years in jail." It was reported Ecclestone "could take advantage of an unique German law in being able to negotiate a huge settlement and avoid the criminal trial for bribery." But Ecclestone said, "There's absolutely no way I'll do that" (MOTORSPORT, 1/30). ... Twenty-nine-year-old ABIRAMI NAIDU is Singapore's "first female referee to be accredited" by FIFA. Naidu was part of the Singapore women's national football team from '98-08 "before she took up refereeing" (DIVA ASIA, 1/30).
SCHUMACHER ON THE MEND: Doctors of former F1 driver MICHAEL SCHUMACHER have begun to reduce his sedation to begin what they describe as "the waking up process." Schumacher has been in a coma in a Grenoble hospital "since suffering head injuries in a skiing accident" on Dec. 29. His management issued a statement on Thursday "announcing that steps towards him waking him from the coma had begun, but that the process could be long" (AUTOSPORT, 1/30).
