European Athletics President SVEIN ARNE HANSON announced the names of the 14 women appointed to European Athletics commissions following a restructure of the consulting bodies approved by the council at its meeting in Oslo last weekend. The appointments by commission are: CHERRY ALEXANDER (GBR), GALIA PUHALEVA (BUL) and ANNA RICARDI (ITA) to the Events & Competition Commission; ANA LUKOVIC (SRB) and CHARLOTTE SVENSEN (NOR) to the Member Federation Development Commission; OLGA AKSYONOVA (UKR), SYLVIA BARLAG (NED), SIRJE LIPPE (EST) and IEVA STAPONKUTE (LTU) to the Strategic Communications Commission and TIIA KUURANNE (FIN) to the Medical & Anti-Doping Commission (European Athletics). ... JOAN FONTSERÈ is the new director general of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He will officially take over management of the track on Friday. He replaces SALVADOR SERVIÀ, who had held the position since '11 (AS, 6/16). ... La Liga side Elche Sporting Dir VÍCTOR ORTA stepped down from his role on Wednesday. Orta "did not say which team he will join next" (AS, 6/17). ... EPL General Secretary NIC COWARD, who is also one of its representatives on the FA board, is to leave the organization. The Premier League has confirmed that Coward is "departing at the end of August." His exit "follows a shake-up" in the organization which led to CEO RICHARD SCUDAMORE becoming exec chair earlier this month (PA, 6/16). ... Asian Football Confederation General Secretary ALEX SOOSAY has quit "amid a probe into allegations that he ordered a cover-up" during an audit of the organization in '12. The AFC issued a statement on Wednesday to announce his resignation. It "did not give any reasons, however, and Soosay did not comment" (AP, 6/17).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Bulgarian side Ludogorets announced Portuguese BRUNO RIBEIRO as its new head coach. Ribeiro signed a two-year contract. The 39-year-old, who "becomes Ludogorets's first foreign head coach, managed several clubs at home including Vitoria Setubal." Ribeiro replaced GEORGI DERMENDZHIEV, who "left Ludogorets a day after the end of the Bulgarian championship" (REUTERS, 6/17). ... SINIŠA MIHAJLOVIĆ became AC Milan's fourth coach in 18 months on Tuesday after FILIPPO INZAGHI was sacked "following yet another disappointing season for the seven-times European champions." Inzaghi, 41, had been in charge for one season, leading the club to a 10th place finish. Milan said that Mihajlović had signed a two-year contract (TIMES OF MALTA, 6/17).
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