French pay-TV broadcaster Canal+ has appointed deputy COO JACQUES DU PUY chairman and CEO of Canal+ Overseas. Du Puy succeeds GUY LAFARGE, who worked for the group for almost 10 years (Canal+). ... In the wake of Australian Football League club Essendon's scandal over performance enhancing drugs, CEO IAN ROBSON is "standing down from a recently convened AFL working party on illicit drugs" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 2/11). ... Athletics Australia has appointed former UK Athletics Head of Performance Operations SIMON NATHAN to fill the newly created position of high performance director. Nathan is expected to start in mid-March in Melbourne (Athletics Australia). ... Sri Lanka Cricket appointed MICHAEL DE ZOYSA as the manager of the national cricket team. De Zoysa replaces CHARITH SENANAYAKE (PTI, 2/11).
COACHES/MANAGERS: La Liga Deportivo de la Coruña has appointed former Celta Vigo coach FERNANDO VAZQUEZ as head coach. Vazquez will replace DOMINGOS PACIENCIA who resigned after the team's 3-0 loss to Granada (MARCA, 2/11). ... A-League Perth Glory Owner TONY SAGE announced that coach IAN FERGUSON has become the latest "coaching casualty." Ferguson joins IAN CROOK (Sydney FC), RADO VIDOSIC (Brisbane Roar) and JOHN KOSMINA (Adelaide United) "as coaches who have left their roles during the season." Former Socceroo ALISTAIR EDWARDS "will take over" as interim coach for the rest of the season (THE AUSTRALIAN, 2/11). ... National Rugby League club Melbourne Storm coach CRAIG BELLAMY said that "his bond with the players and the team that he has helped build" was the reason for re-signing with the club until at least the end of '16. Bellamy fronted a press conference with Storm CEO RON GAUCI to confirm he had "turned down at least two other NRL clubs to stay put" (THE AGE, 2/12).
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