UEFA elected French Football Federation General Dir FLORENCE HARDOUIN "as its first female executive member in a landmark vote at a congress in Budapest Tuesday." The 49-year-old "won by 33 votes to 21 against her rival candidate," former Norwegian int'l KAREN ESPELUND. Hardouin said that "she did not aim to be a member of FIFA's top council as well." She said, "I'm not a wonder woman, working for the FFF and UEFA, that will be enough" (AFP, 5/3). ... Former South Korean Commerce Minister LEE HEE-BEOM was appointed the new head of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) on Tuesday, replacing CHO YANG-HO, who "abruptly resigned from the post earlier the same day." A POCOG official said, "The vacant seat left by Cho will be filled by Lee. Lee has a varied professional background, including serving as a commerce minister, a university president and CEO of a large company" (KOREA TIMES, 5/3). ... Disney and ESPN Media Networks promoted Disney/ABC TV Group VP/Consumer Data & Analytics MIA RONDINELLA to senior VP/global distribution & strategy. She will manage the domestic affiliate sales and marketing business strategy group. Rondinella also will oversee the global distribution business operations and strategy team for Disney Media Distribution (ESPN).
SOFTWARE UPDATE: Sports tech outfit FanThreeSixty hired former Lexmark Enterprise Software VP/Sales DENNIS CUNNINGHAM as its new CSO. In the newly created position, Cunningham will lead FanThreeSixty’s global sales and business development activities, and report directly to Partner & CEO ROBB HEINEMAN. The creation of the chief sales officer role and hiring of Cunningham follows FanThreeSixty’s rebranding early this year from its prior incarnation as Sporting Innovations (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Ascenso MX club Cafetaleros de Tapachula coach GABRIEL CABALLERO stepped down "after reaching a mutual agreement with the club's execs." The team announced the decision on Monday (NOTIMEX, 5/2). ... Former Scotland Manager ALEX MCLEISH "has left Egyptian club Zamalek after just 65 days and 10 matches in charge." He is the fourth coach "to leave the Cairo side this season." The board is "set to announce a successor in the coming days with MOHAMED HELMY taking charge of the team as interim-manager until then" (BBC, 5/3). ... MIXU PAATELAINEN has been sacked by Scottish Premiership side Dundee United "after being relegated from the top flight of Scottish football." The Finn "only arrived on Tayside in October last year" but was unable to turn the season around (Scotland DAILY RECORD, 5/3). ... Altrincham appointed NEIL YOUNG its new manager, less than 24 hours after it was “relegated from the Vanarama National League.” The former Stockport County and Chester City boss “fought off competition from three other managers on the short-list” to replace LEE SINNOTT, including NEIL TOLSON, who has been in “care-taker charge” at the J.Davidson Stadium. Young's assistant will be former Tranmere, Nottingham Forest and Grimsby forward GARY JONES (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 5/1).
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