Relativity Sports Founder HAPPY WALTERS and former Relativity Sports President JOSH SWARTZ announced the launch of Catalyst Sports & Media. Catalyst will act as a strategic adviser, investor and talent representative with a focus on global growth properties, including basketball, int'l football and esports. Walters is co-founder and CEO of Catalyst and has worked in the industry for 20-plus years (Catalyst). ... Viasat World, the int'l entertainment group producing 27 pay-TV channels and VOD in 47 countries, "has appointed PATCH KHAN" as its new chief technology officer. Khan "will be responsible for the management and delivery of all of Viasat World’s technical needs." He will be "part of the senior management team" and will report to CEO & President IRINA GOFMAN (BROADBAND TV NEWS, 11/7). ... Ethiopian distance runner HAILE GEBRSELASSIE has been "elected president of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation." The two-time Olympic 10,000m champion was elected on Saturday "after he polled nine out of 15 votes, beating two other candidates." Incumbent EAF President ALEBACHEW NIGUSSE did not "seek re-election" (DAILY NATION, 11/6). ... MICHAEL BOLINGBROKE resigned as CEO of Inter Milan and has been replaced by Suning Sports Group VP LIU JUN on an interim basis. Inter said Monday that its board of directors accepted Bolingbroke's resignation "with immediate effect." A club statement said that Liu, who is Chinese, will be based at Inter's Milan HQ. Bolingbroke, an Englishman who formerly worked at ManU, came to Inter after the club was purchased by Indonesian entrepreneur ERICK THOHIR three years ago (AP, 11/7).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Ligue 2 side Stade Lavallois announced Manager DENIS ZANKO was relieved of his functions on Saturday following the club’s defeat to Le Havre. Zanko joined the team in ’14. His replacement has not been named (Stade Lavallois). ... Spanish second division side Rayo Vallecano sacked Manager JOSÉ RAMÓN SANDOVAL. The club announced the move on Twitter (MARCA, 11/6). ... Former England cricketer CRAIG WHITE "has been named head coach" of Hampshire County. The 46-year-old has "signed a two-year contract and steps up to the post vacated by DALE BENKENSTEIN midway through last season at the Ageas Bowl." White "made his name at Yorkshire, before going on to play 30 Tests and 51 one-day internationals for England" (BBC, 11/7). ... J.League side Kawasaki Frontale announced on Monday it promoted TORU ONIKI "to manage the team next season." The move was "waiting to be rubberstamped" after the club said last week that Oniki, 42, would inherit the club from YAHIRO KAZAMA, "who will step down at season's end after being in charge for five years" (KYODO, 11/7). ... League Two side Grimsby Town appointed Solihull Moors coach MARCUS BIGNOT as its new manager. The 42-year-old replaces PAUL HURST, "who left to take over League One club Shrewsbury Town last month" (BBC, 11/7). ... Zambian Premier League side Zesco United Manager GEORGE LWANDAMINA resigned. Lwandamina, who "guided the club" to the semifinals of the 2016 Confederation of African Football Champions League where it lost to South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, has "tendered his resignation just four matches before the end of the season" (XINHUA, 11/7). ... Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg appointed VALERIEN ISMAEL as its new head coach, with the 41-year-old signing a deal until '18. The former Bayern Munich player had been promoted from the U23 team "following the dismissal of DIETER HECKING last month." Wolfsburg "had been linked with a number of other coaches" including Hertha Berlin's PAR DARDAI, former Hamburg boss BRUNO LABBADIA and ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS (PA, 11/7).
ZANDER RETURNS TO F1: Sauber F1 appointed JORG ZANDER as its new technical director. The 52-year-old is returning to Formula 1 from his position as technical boss of Audi's World Endurance Championship program, which ends this season. Zander previously worked for Sauber between ‘06 and ‘07, “and has held senior design positions in a number of other F1 teams.” His most recent F1 role was as deputy technical director of the title-winning Brawn team in ’09 (BBC, 11/7).
NO CONFIDENCE: Premiership side Bristol sacked Rugby Dir ANDY ROBINSON after the board "lost confidence" that he would be able to retain the club's Premiership position. The former England and Scotland head coach, 52, led the club to promotion in May but was suspended last week pending a "review of their coaching needs." Bristol lost all 10 games in all competitions this season and is bottom of the Premiership. Robinson: "I was surprised and disappointed by the board's decision" (BBC, 11/7).
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