Chelsea CEO RON GOURLAY is to leave the club to "pursue new business challenges" after a decade at Stamford Bridge, five of them in the "top job." Gourlay has kept a "relatively low profile" since replacing PETER KENYON during a period that has been Chelsea's "most successful on the pitch but also tumultuous off it" (London GUARDIAN, 10/22). ... Former Wales fly-half GARETH DAVIES was "elected president of the Welsh Rugby Union" on Tuesday. Davies replaces DAVID PICKERING, "who held the position for 11 years, but failed to get re-elected" at the Federation’s general meeting Sunday (L’EQUIPE, 10/22). ... The 2018 PyeongChang Olympic organizing committee "has named LEE-JOON-HA as its vice president." Lee will assist CHO YANG-HO, the committee's president, with marketing and media affairs. His major posts in the corporate sector include vice president of the Hyundai Development Company from ‘06 through ’08 (KOREA TIMES, 10/20). ... National Rugby League side Cronulla "plunged further into turmoil" with the club parting company with CEO STEVE NOYCE. Cronulla is now without a CEO or a coach, as SHANE FLANAGAN "is still serving a suspension for his role in the supplements scandal" of '11 (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 10/22).
FORMULA 1: McLaren Sporting Dir SAM MICHAEL is to leave at the end of the season. A McLaren spokesperson said the 43-year-old resigned in March after saying "he wanted to return to his native Australia with his family." The spokesperson said the team "regretted" Michael's decision to leave McLaren and Formula 1 and "categorically denied" reports that Technical Dir TIM GOSS and COO JONATHAN NEALE were to be fired in the near future. He said, "They are not leaving and there are no plans for them to leave" (BBC, 10/22).
COACHES/MANAGERS: MICHAEL CHEIKA took over at the Australian national rugby union team on Wednesday, "vowing to rally the shell-shocked side after the stunning walkout" of previous Manager EWEN MCKENZIE. Australian Rugby Union CEO BILL PULVER described Cheika as "the only coach in history to coach both a European Cup winning side and a Super Rugby winning side" (AFP, 10/22). ... A day after his "dramatic announcement to quit," India field hockey coach TERRY WALSH "withdrew his resignation after a meeting with top sports officials, who have assured the Australian that his concerns will be addressed in a fresh contract." After "a hectic meeting with the Sports Ministry and SAI officials, the 60-year-old Walsh finally decided to withdraw his resignation, much to the relief of the country's hockey fraternity" (PTI, 10/22).
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