Russian Weightlifting Federation President SERGEI SYRTSOV resigned on Thursday after the country's weightlifting team was "barred from last month's Rio Olympics because of doping offences." Syrtsov, who had been in charge since '10, said, "I have decided to stand down and MAXIM AGAPITOV will take temporary charge. The reason? Someone needs to pay for what has happened, and I did this" (REUTERS, 9/15). ... The Scottish Rugby Board unanimously voted COLIN GRASSIE as its new chair, to take over from MOIR LOCKHEAD with effect from Jan. 1. Lockhead, who had been a board member since '11, was due to retire in June '17 but has decided to step down earlier. He will continue to chair the board and act as an independent non-exec director until the end of this year. Grassie joined the SRB as an independent non-exec director in July '12 having been U.K. CEO and a member of the group exec committee at Deutsche Bank. He was re-appointed to the SRB in July '15 and will take on the role of chair for a three-year period commencing in Jan. '17 (SRB). ... NBCUniversal CEO STEVE BURKE has "shuffled the management team" with NBC Sports Group Chair MARK LAZARUS becoming chair of NBC Broadcasting & Sports. Lazarus, 53, "gains oversight of the NBC broadcast portfolio previously managed by TED HARBERT." In a separate memo, Harbert noted that this weekend "marks the end of his 40th season in TV." Lazarus will be in charge of TV stations "that the company owns and serve as NBC’s top diplomat in its relations with affiliated stations." Burke said, "Mark and his team have a winning culture, and the quality of NBC Sports’ coverage is unsurpassed, from the Olympics and Sunday Night Football to the Premier League, golf, NHL and NASCAR" (L.A. TIMES, 9/15).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Bundesliga side Werder Bremen sacked coach VIKTOR SKRIPNIK after the club was "left in last place" following its third-straight loss on Saturday, with U23 coach ALEXANDER NOURI taking over interim charge. Werder has "yet to earn a point this season," with Skripnik leaving after almost two years in charge. Skripnik's assistant coaches TORSTEN FRINGS and FLORIAN KOHFELDT "were also let go" (REUTERS, 9/18). ... National League side Tranmere Rovers sacked GARY BRABIN as manager "after 16 months in charge." The club is currently fifth in the table but has lost three of its past four league games. Brabin, 45, took charge at Prenton Park in May '15 after Tranmere was "relegated from League Two" (BBC, 9/18). ... Liga MX side América announced that IGNACIO AMBRIZ is no longer its coach on Saturday. América Sporting President RICARDO PELÁEZ announced the move. He said, "I reached the conclusion and I have taken the decision that the coaching staff of Ignacio Ambriz is leaving the organization" (LA AFICIÓN, 9/18).
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