EPL Sunderland "have sacked" head coach PAOLO DI CANIO "after a poor start to the season that has left the Black Cats bottom of the Premier League table." The 45-year-old Italian has won three of his 13 matches since being appointed in March and taken only one point from five league games this campaign. A club statement said, "An announcement will be made in due course regarding a permanent successor" (BBC, 9/22). ... Brasileiro Flamengo coach MANO MENEZES has resigned from his position "after the club’s 4-2 loss to Atlético-PR" on Thursday night (RIO TIMES, 9/20). ... Indian cricketer VIRAT KOHLI "is set to don the cap and blazer of the Border Security Force." As the brand ambassador of BSF, he "will boost the morale of its rank and file by periodically touring their stations of deployment and being the BSF's face at public events" (TIMES OF INDIA, 9/21). ... Former Board of Control for Cricket in India Secretary JAYWANT LELE "died of a massive heart attack at his residence in Vadodara on Thursday" (Indian BUSINESS STANDARD, 9/20). ... Former Iranian footballer HOOMAN AFAZELI "has been appointed as director" of Iran's U23 football team until the end of the year (TEHRAN TIMES, 9/21).
