The French Football Federation elected JACQUES LAURANS as its general secretary during an exec board meeting last Friday. Laurans replaces ALAIN DOUCET and will start at his new post on Dec. 3 (FFF). ... The European Handball Federation confirmed DAVID SZLEZAK has taken on the managing director's role at EHF Marketing GmbH on a permanent basis, having been appointed to the position on an interim basis in February. Szlezak has been with EHF Marketing GmbH since '10 and previously held the positions of EHF Final4 manager and assistant managing director (EHF). ... The Barcelona board of directors appointed ÒSCAR GRAU as the new CEO of the club, after incumbent NACHO MESTRE made a request to the president of the club to be given more time to care for personal matters. Grau was until now the director of the FCBEscola football schools. His replacement will be announced shortly (Barcelona). ... RONA FAIRHEAD “is to stand down as chair of the BBC” after U.K. PM THERESA MAY ordered “a re-run of the process to find a head” for the broadcaster. In a “U-turn by the new prime minister,” Fairhead was told on Tuesday afternoon that she would “have to reapply for the role handed to her” by former PM DAVID CAMERON in May. Fairhead said that after “much thought” she had “decided not to re-enter the process.” She will remain as chair of the BBC Trust “until the body is scrapped” in early ‘17 and replaced by a new unitary board -- “part of the government’s charter review.” Fairhead: “I took on leadership of the Trust to help stabilize, strengthen and develop the BBC following a very difficult period in its history and through Charter Review” (FINANCIAL TIMES, 9/13).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Belgian Pro League side Westerlo has fired Manager BOB PEETERS. Peeters, 42, replaced HARM VAN VELDHOVEN at Westerlo in Nov. ’15. Peeters “helped the club stay in the Division 1 last season,” but poor results this season currently have the team in last place (LA MEUSE, 9/13). ... Liga MX side Chiapas announced on Twitter that JOSÉ CARDOZO is no longer its coach. The club is currently in last place in the league. It has been reported that former Cruz Azul coach SERGIO BUENO "has the lead in the race" to replace Cardozo (LA AFICIÓN, 9/12). ... The air traffic controller who "sang in celebration after Cape Verde Islands reached the African Nations Cup quarterfinals has been reappointed to take charge of the national team." LUCIO ANTUNES, who "burst into song at a post-match news conference three years ago, will lead the island archipelego’s bid to reach the 2018 World Cup" as it begins the final group phase of the African preliminaries away to Senegal next month. Antunes, 49, takes over from compatriot FELISBERTO CARDOSO after the former Portuguese colony "failed to reach next year's Nations Cup" (REUTERS, 9/12).
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