Man City announced that it has hired RODOLFO BORRELL as its int'l technical director. Borrell will "be in charge of implementing Man City's model" at Man City-owned Major League Soccer side NYC FC and A-League side Melbourne Heart. Borrell is a former academy chief with Liverpool and also spent 14 seasons with Barcelona (SPORT, 3/13). ... The seven members of the IAAF Ethics Commission, Chair MICHAEL BELOFF, KEVAN GOSPER, AKIRA KAWAMIRA, THOMAS MURRAY, TAFSIR MALICK NDIAYE, CARLOS NUZMAN and LAURI TARASTI, have been appointed by the IAAF Council for a four-year term. The IAAF Ethics Commission is an independent judicial body established by the Congress (IAAF). ... Former U.K. Department for Culture, Media & Sport special adviser VICTORIA O'BYRNE "is leaving the body responsible for the Olympic Park" to join RICHARD BRANSON's Virgin Group as director of corporate affairs next month. O'Byrne's remit "will cover communications, government affairs and policy for Virgin Group, which brings together the brand's various ventures into airlines, holidays, gyms, banking, entertainment and philanthropy" (PR WEEK, 3/12). ... EPL side Sunderland has appointed former Chelsea chief scout LEE CONGERTON as its sporting director. Welshman Congerton, "who spent six years at Stamford Bridge before joining Bundesliga side Hamburg SV as technical director" in '11, will work alongside head coach GUS POYET in the newly-created role. Congerton "will oversee player recruitment as well as the club's domestic and international scouting operation" (REUTERS, 3/12).
DIVERSITY OFFICERS: CONCACAF has appointed a team of diversity officers who will ensure that the "Protocol for Racist Incidents During Matches" is implemented. The diversity officers "are pulled from senior positions in CONCACAF federations across the region." The first CONCACAF diversity officers are: Bermuda FA General Secretary DAVID SABIR, Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary PETER MONTOPOLI, Caribbean Football Union General Secretary DAMIEN HUGHES, El Salvador Football Federation President CARLOS MENDEZ, Dallas Cup Exec Dir ANDY SWIFT, CONCACAF Statutes Committee Member MARGARITA ECHEVERRIA, St. Kitts & Nevis FA President ANTHONY JOHNSON, Curaçao Football Federation President RIGNAAL FRANCISCA, Liga MX President DECIO DE MARIA, ARIEL ALVARADO, Trinidad & Tobago FA General Secretary SHELDON PHILLIPS (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 3/13).
