England Boxing has announced the appointment of three new non-exec directors. PHILIP BEARD, TOVE OKUNNIWA and ALKIT PATEL will join the 12-person board to help shape the future development of the organization which is responsible for grassroots boxing in England. Beard was on the team that developed and launched Air Miles in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Holland and Spain. He was a director of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic bid team and went on to develop the commercial program for the Games. Okunniwa has 25 years' experience in marketing and communications and was formerly CEO of Havas Sports & Entertainment. Patel brings financial expertise having spent over a decade in investment banking, most recently as exec director at UBS in London (England Boxing). ... Real Madrid President FLORENTINO PÉREZ has made a "key signing for next season," JACINTA LLORENTE, one of Atlético Madrid's "most important organizational figures." The move is a response to the "embarrassment of the Copa del Rey debacle," where Madrid was kicked out of the tournament "for fielding DENIS CHERYSHEV despite the player being banned" (AS, 12/28).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Angola national football Manager ROMEU FILEMÓN was released last weekend because “he did not return after vacation.” Filemón explained to National Angolan Radio that he “had not been paid for eight months” (L’ÉQUIPE, 12/28). ... French Ligue 2 side Valenciennes released Manager DAVID LE FRAPPER on Monday for not having a Professional Football Coaching Diploma (DEPF), which forced the club to “pay fines each match.” Assistant NICOLAS RABUEL will be the interim manager. Le Frapper returns to the club’s training center to “prepare his diploma.” He is under contract until June ’19 (L’ÉQUIPE, 12/28). ... French Pro A basketball side Paris-Levallois Manager ANTOINE RIGAUDEAU on Sunday was dismissed from his post “for personal reasons.” Rigaudeau will now focus his attention on being a shareholder of the club. First assistant FRÉDÉRIC FAUTHOUX was named Rigaudeau’s replacement. The club said in a statement that “the transfer of power between the two coaches was eagerly supported by Rigaudeau and encouraged by the club” (L’ÉQUIPE, 12/27). ... Austrian football club Red Bull Salzburg named ÒSCAR GARCÍA its new coach. On Monday, he signed a contract for the next two seasons. He replaces PETER ZEIDLER (SPORT, 12/28). ... Ecuadorian football club Liga de Quito named CLAUDIO BORGHI its new coach, effective Jan. 7. Borghi, who previously coached Argentine JUAN ROMÁN RIQUELME, said that he will call the player about joining the club "if the president approves" (AS, 12/28). ... Bundesliga side Hannover 96 appointed THOMAS SCHAAF "as head coach." The former long-time coach of Werder Bremen signed a contract to coach the "struggling" club through the end of the '16-17 season. Hannover went into the Bundesliga's winter break in 17th place in the standings, "having taken just 14 points from 17 games" (DW, 12/28). ... Spanish second division side Real Zaragoza appointed LLUIS CARRERAS as its new coach "on a contract until the end of the season." The Aragonese side turned to Carreras after talks with FERNANDO VAZQUEZ, JUAN IGNACIO MARTINEZ and JOAQUIN CAPARROS "fell through." Carreras will take "his first training session on Tuesday" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 12/28). ... League Championship side Fulham appointed SLAVISA JOKANOVIC as its "new head coach." The club had been without a manager "since sacking KIT SYMONS in early November." Jokanovic won promotion to the Premier League with Watford last season "but left Vicarage Road after contract talks broke down." He was appointed manager at Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv in June, "leading them into the Champions League group stage for the first time" (BBC, 12/27). ... New Queensland State of Origin rugby league coach KEVIN WALTERS "insists he has no hard feelings after PAUL GREEN was initially approached for the role." Long "groomed to replace MAL MENINGA at the helm of the champion Maroons, Walters finally had his appointment confirmed on Monday" on a three-year deal to the end of '18. Walters said that "he felt honoured and privileged to get the head coaching role he had been seeking at NRL club or Origin level for the past 10 years" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 12/28).
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