Octagon has named AYKAN AZAR and MATTHIEU FENAERT co-managing directors of Octagon Brazil. Aykan and Matthieu led Octagon's efforts on behalf of six official 2014 FIFA World Cup and several hospitality clients. Looking ahead to Brazil's next global sporting event, Octagon Brazil also announced the addition of three official 2016 Rio Games sponsors as clients: Cisco, Estacio and Skol. ALEX LEITAO and FRED POLLASTRI, both of whom joined the company when their agency B2S merged with Octagon, will join MLS side Orlando City SC in early '15 (Octagon). ... The Chinese FA nominated a Chinese-Canadian to be director of the referee office. LIU HU, also known as Tiger Liu, "will be in charge of managing and training referees" for the professional football leagues in China. Liu "is a retired FIFA referee and former referee director of the Canadian Soccer Association." The CFA hoped that Liu could help China's professional football leagues "establish an international-level referee training system" (CHINA DAILY, 1/8). ... Spanish Basketball League (ACB) club Fuenlabrada signed HUGO LÓPEZ to coach the team for the rest of the season. López, a former assistant to PABLO LASO at Real Madrid, replaces LUIS CASIMIRO (EP, 1/8). .. Former French footballer THIERRY FROGER was “named the coach” of Ligue 2 side Créteil Wednesday. He succeeds PHILIPPE HINSCHBERGER, “who left the club in November and was temporarily replaced” by his assistant FRANCIS PERCIN. Froger “will make his debut” with the club on Friday (AFP, 1/7). ... Portuguese coach VITOR PEREIRA "is the chosen one to manage" Greek side Olympiacos after the dismissal of MICHEL. He agreed to a two-and-a-half year contract. The former Porto and Al-Alhi coach landed in Greece on Wednesday "to seal the deal" (GREEK REPORTER, 1/7). ... PGA of America's CEO PETE BEVACQUA has been named chair of the World Golf Foundation's Board of Directors for '15. He succeeds TIM FINCHEM. Bevacqua became the PGA of America's third CEO in Nov. '12. He also serves as a member of leadership of teams for the PGA World Alliance, GOLF 20/20 Exec Committee and the Int'l Golf Federation's work that will return golf to the Olympics in '16 (PGA).
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