Uruguayan WILMAR VALDEZ will take over as CONMEBOL president if current President JUAN ÁNGEL NAPOUT, detained Thursday in Zurich, leaves the organization. Article 34 of CONMEBOL's statutes says that in the absence of the president, the first VP -- in this case, Valdez -- replaces the president (DPA, 12/3). ... Subway named former Coca-Cola Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer JOE TRIPODI global CMO, taking over the post "that had been vacant at the sandwich chain since July," when TONY PACE left the company. Subway's sales at its U.S. restaurants "dropped last year for the first time in more than a decade." Tripodi, who had retired from Coca-Cola in February, said that the Subway brand "will take some time to bounce back from the crisis" around former spokesperson JARED FOGLE, who was sentenced last week to more than 15 years in federal prison. Subway ad campaigns "will continue to be led" by Chief Advertising Officer CHRIS CARROLL (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 12/3). ... Olympic Gold Medalist DENISE LEWIS "has been appointed president of Commonwealth Games England." Lewis, 43, succeeds KELLY HOLMES, "who spent six years in the role." Lewis will give "leadership and guidance" before the 2018 Commonwealth Games, to be held on Australia's Gold Coast. As well as her Olympic success in Sydney, Lewis won Commonwealth titles in '94 and '98. Commonwealth Games England "manages the participation and preparation of the England team" (BBC, 12/3). ... The exec committee of the Int'l Sailing Federation announced the resignation of CEO PETER SOWREY (ISAF). ... RONALD BRANDS will become the new CFO at Sportfive on Feb. 1. He succeeds HARTMUT BARTELS, who is leaving the company for personal reasons. Brands has over 20 years of experience at auditing form Deloitte & Touche and in senior financial positions at British American Tobacco in Hamburg, Amsterdam and Izmir, Turkey. Most recently, he spent three years as group CFO at Mondia Media Group GmbH in Hamburg (Sportfive).
COACHES/MANAGERS: After 11 years at the head of the French national wrestling team, PATRICE MOURIER is "handing his job" to CHRISTOPHE GUÉNOT. Guénot was the Greco-Roman wrestling Bronze Medalist at the 2008 Olympics, and has been named “manager of the Olympic freestyle, women’s, and Greco-Roman wrestling” (LE MONDE, 12/2). ... Spanish Basketball League (ACB) club Gipuzkoa Basket announced that PORFIRIO FISAC will coach the team until the end of the current season. He replaces JAUME PONSARNAU, who was sacked after the club's 0-8 start (EL PAÍS, 12/2). ... HEYNEKE MEYER "resigned his post as South Africa head coach with immediate effect." The 48-year-old "had been in charge of the Springboks since January 2012 and led them to a third-placed finish at the recent World Cup in England." Meyer said that "he felt the time was right to move on and that he feels he is leaving the Springboks in a strong position moving forward" (London DAILY MAIL, 12/3). ... Australia appointed former Queensland State of Origin coach MAL MENINGA as its new coach. He succeeds TIM SHEENS, "who resigned in October to become full-time director of rugby with Super League side Salford Red Devils" (BBC, 12/3). ... Ligue 1 side Troyes parted with coach JEAN-MARC FURLAN, "with the French club bottom of the table with the worst run of form in Europe's major leagues." The club said the decision to terminate Furlan's contract "has the sole goal of revitalising the group" (SKY SPORTS, 12/3).
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