German pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland has promoted HANS GABBE to the position of senior VP sports rights.
Gabbe, previously director of sports rights at Sky Deutschland, replaces VOLKER WINTER, who held the position since Jan. '13. Gabbe will report to HOLGER ENSSLIN, managing director, legal, regulatory and distribution (Sky Deutschland). ... GUY FORGET has been appointed as the new director of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros. The French Tennis Federation said that Forget -- who was France's Davis Cup captain from '99-12 -- will replace GILBERT YSERN, who was fired earlier this month. Ysern was also a general director within the FFT, and will be replaced in that role by JEREMY BOTTON, who will "oversee plans for the renovation and modernization of Roland Garros" (AP, 2/26). ... Spanish public broadcaster RTVE announced that JOSÉ RAMÓN DÍEZ resigned as director of TV network TVE "for personal reasons, saying he wanted to dedicate energy to other projects." Ramón Díez took over from IGNACIO CORRALES in Jan. '14, having already served as TVE director from '99 to May '00. TVE content director PACO DÍAZ-UJADOS will "temporarily serve as director before a permanent replacement is announced" (TELECOMPAPER, 2/26). ... The IAAF announced that Slovenian high jumper ROZLE PREZELJ "has been elected as the new chairman of the IAAF Athletes' commission." The 36-year-old, a three-time Olympian and a European U23 champion in '01, will replace Namibian FRANK FREDERICKS "with immediate effect" after a meeting of the commission in Monte Carlo (XINHUA, 2/27).
COACHES/MANAGERS: The Nigerian national football team reappointed SAMSON SIASIA as coach following the resignation of SUNDAY OLISEH. The Nigeria Football Federation ensured "a coach is in place" for March's Nations Cup qualifiers against Egypt. Oliseh quit "after only eight months," accusing the NFF of "contractual violations" and owing salaries (BBC, 2/26). ... Serie B side Latina sacked coach MARIO SOMMA and "temporarily handed the reins" to ANDREA CHIAPPINI. Chiappini "is the Primavera youth team Coach, so it remains to be seen whether it is a definitive decision" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 2/28). ... French Ligue 1 side Toulouse President OLIVIER SADRAN announced he fired head coach DOMINIQUE ARRIBAGÉ. Sadran said, “The dismissal was decided in consultation. We must prepare for the future. The situation became too difficult psychologically for Dominique.” He added that he does not have a “plan B at the moment.” Arribagé joined the club in March ’15, after the departure of ALAIN CASANOVA (L’ÉQUIPE, 2/27).
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