JORDI RIBERA, who until Tuesday was coach of Brazil's national handball team, left that position to become the coach of the Spanish team. Ribera replaces MANOLO CADENAS (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 8/24). ... The Belgian FA (URBSFA) has “ended its collaboration” with Secretary PIET HUYS as well as national team cook WILLIAM WOUTERS. Huys “was the URBSFA secretary for 27 years” and worked with former national team managers including PAUL VAN HIMST, GEORGES LEEKENS, ROBERT WASEIGE, AIMÉ ANTHUENIS, RENÉ VANDEREYCKEN and MARC WILMOTS. Wouters had been the Red Devils’ cook “for the past two years,” after he replaced WIM CASTELEYN ahead of the 2014 World Cup (LA MEUSE, 8/24). ... Former Football League Chair GREG CLARKE has succeeded GREG DYKE as FA chair. Clarke, who was also a former Leicester chair, "stepped down" from his Football League role in June. He was "nominated to take over from Dyke last month and that decision has now been ratified by the FA Council" (BBC, 8/24). ... REINHARD RAUBALL was unanimously re-elected German Football League (DFL) president for a further three years. The 36 Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs unanimously re-elected Rauball. Rauball, 69, and president of Borussia Dortmund, has held the position of DFL president since '07 and has now been elected for the fourth time. PETER PETERS was likewise unanimously re-elected 1st VP in the absence of any other candidates (Bundesliga). ... KEVIN SINFIELD is to make his return to rugby league in the “role of rugby director, reporting to the Rugby Football League's board of directors, from September 1.” Sinfield “will split his time between the performance and development department at the RFL's headquarters in Red Hall, Leeds, and with the commercial, marketing and communications teams based at Media City UK in Manchester.” He will lead a review of England’s 2016 Four Nations campaign and “help put in place a four-year plan for the 2021 World Cup” (PA, 8/24). ... The British Horseracing Authority announced that Integrity Dir ADAM BRICKELL “is departing after seven years, having completed a wide-ranging review of the organisation’s approach to integrity” (LONDON TIMES, 8/24).
LOOKING AHEAD: World Rugby appointed ROB ABERNETHY as GM of Rugby World Cup 2019, more than three years before the event starts in Japan. Based full-time in Tokyo, he will oversee day-to-day management of the tournament organizers. He will be responsible for supporting and assisting the host union (Japan Rugby Football Union) and organizing committee (Japan Rugby 2019). Abernethy brings a wealth of experience, including the 2000 Olympics, 2002 Commonwealth Games, Rugby World Cup 2003, Football Federation Australia and the 2012 Olympics (World Rugby).
WESA NAMES NEW BOSS: The World Esports Association appointed KEN HERSHMAN as the organization's new exec chair and commissioner, effective immediately. Hershman will take the reins from PIETRO FRINGUELLI, who has served as interim commissioner since the introduction of WESA this past May. Hershman was also named CEO of the WESA Agency, the organization's media arm. Hershman spent nearly 30 years in the TV sports world, where he helped lead TV programming for both HBO and Showtime. During his tenure as president of HBO Sports, Hershman piloted a variety of boxing franchises, as well as original programming including "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," "Hard Knocks" and "24/7" (WESA).
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