ANNE WAFULA STRIKE "has been appointed" as a non-exec director to the board of UK Athletics. The former Great Britain and Northern Ireland wheelchair racer "also competed for Kenya at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games" (ATHLETICS WEEKLY, 12/9). ... Scottish Championship side Hibernian appointed former UEFA Marketing Activities Manager GREIG MAILER "as the club’s head of marketing and commercial operations." Mailer will take over the role from RUSSELL SMITH, "who left earlier this year." Mailer "was marketing and communications manager for the Scottish Premier League until 2010 when he moved to Switzerland to manage the sponsorship programme" of the Champions League (THE DRUM, 12/9). ... Former Australian Football League side Essendon media adviser ELIZABETH LUKIN has been appointed the AFL's head of corporate affairs. Lukin, currently the director of communications agency Essential Media Communications, "will officially join the AFL" on Feb. 1 and is "no stranger to football." She has also "provided advice to the AFL, AFL Players Association, West Coast, Gold Coast and St Kilda during her career" (THE AGE, 12/9).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Argentine first division side Vélez Sarsfield named MIGUEL ANGEL RUSSO its new manager. Russo, who recently managed Rosario Central, replaces JOSÉ FLORES (OLE, 12/9). ... Former Liga MX side Monarcas Morelia coach JOSÉ GUADALUPE CRUZ has been hired to manage Liga MX side Puebla (LA AFICION, 12/8). ... Swiss side FC Sion "no longer has a coach" after JOCHEN DRIES tendered his resignation to the club’s management "after a series of bad results, the club announced Monday on its website." The German coach succeeded FRÉDÉRIC CHASSOT at the end of September. The club "has not won a game since" Oct. 5 (L’EQUIPE, 12/8). ... Honduras has named Colombian JORGE LUIS PINTO, who “steered Costa Rica to their best ever World Cup placing” in the World Cup quarterfinals, as its coach until the 2018 World Cup. Pinto replaces HERNAN MEDFORD, who was sacked on Tuesday after four months in charge (REUTERS, 12/7). ... Serie A side Cesena has hired DOMENICO DI CARLO to replace the fired PIERPAOLO BISOLI. Bisoli was in his third season at Cesena, and had “previously coached the club” from ’08-10. Di Carlo, who formerly coached Parma, Sampdoria and Chievo Verona, was given a contract until the end of this season (AP, 12/8). ... La Liga side Almeria has sacked coach FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ. Team physio SERGIO PARDO will “take charge of training while the club look for a replacement (REUTERS, 12/9). ... Brasileiro side Palmeiras “parted company” with coach DORIVAL on Monday, “a day after narrowly escaping relegation to Serie B.” Palmeiras announced that Exec Dir JOSÉ CARLOS BRUNORO and trainer OMAR FEITOSA “had also left the club” (REUTERS, 12/9).
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