Real Madrid President FLORENTINO PÉREZ gave evidence at the High Court on Monday as a witness in "Operation Púnica." He was called as a witness "in relation to services provided to the club for one year by an analytic research company in the digital domain," owned by ALEJANDRO DE PEDRO, one of the accused in "Operation Púnica." The subject of the investigation is "the activities of a network of corruption" led by former Spanish Popular Party General Secretary FRANCISCO GRANADOS (AS, 3/2). ... Violinist VANESSA-MAE will attempt to "overturn her four-year skiing ban" at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland on Tuesday. The Int'l Ski Federation (FIS) "imposed the sanction in November for her role in 'manipulating' results" to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Her management said that she wants to "clear her name and resume skiing" (BBC, 3/2). ... MICHAEL SCHUMACHER's 15-year-old son has signed a contract to drive in Formula 4, a "series for young talents." MICK SCHUMACHER, second in the 2014 German Kart Championship, will drive for Van Amersfoort Racing (BBC, 3/2). ... A lifetime ban imposed by the FA against English player MICHAEL BOATENG in relation to match manipulation has been extended by FIFA to have worldwide effect. Boateng admitted to charges laid against him by the FA for several breaches of the FA Rules, including accepting a bribe, gift, reward or other consideration that was, or appeared to be, related to seeking to influence the outcome or conduct of a match or competition (FIFA). ... The KJ Choi Foundation, run by U.S. PGA Tour golfer CHOI KYUNG-JOO, has "granted scholarships" to 100 students. Fifty of those students who won SKT-KJ Hope Scholarships -- co-funded by SK Telecom -- were "ordinary students." The other fifty, who won KJ Golf Scholarships, were "juvenile golfers who passed a tryout" on Feb. 27 (KOREA TIMES, 3/2).
