Football Federation Australia board member HEATHER REID is "believed to have stood down from her position." It is believed the experienced administrator "asked to be relieved of her position on a temporary basis for personal reasons." Reid has become "embroiled in controversy" surrounding the sacking of Matildas coach ALEN STAJCIC (THE AUSTRALIAN, 1/29). ... A court case between Barcelona and NEYMAR, originally due to start this week, has been delayed until March 21. Neymar has taken his former club to court regarding the non-payment of a loyalty bonus. The Brazilian was due a fee of around €26M on July 31, 2017, "just four days before his world-record move" to Paris St. Germain was made official (ESPN.com, 1/29). ... ANDY MURRAY had hip resurfacing surgery in London on Monday. He published a post on Instagram featuring an X-ray picture of his hip (BBC, 1/29). ... Aussie tennis player LLEYTON HEWITT "savaged" GERARD PIQUÉ, the man behind the Davis Cup changes, as "knowing nothing about tennis." Hewitt said that Piqué's investment group, Kosmos, has "effectively bought control" of the Int'l Tennis Federation with a A$3B ($2.1B) deal. Hewitt said, "Now we're getting run by a Spanish football player, which is like me coming out and asking to change things for the Champions League; it's ridiculous" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/29).
