Ligue 2 side US Orléans announced General Dir DAVID VENTURA is leaving his post. Ventura had been with the club since ’11 (US Orléans). ... Top14 side Brive player ARNAUD MÉLA is ending his playing career and will take up the position of GM for Pro D12 side Albi, starting next season. He will take charge of the coaching staff that includes JULIEN GUIARD, FLORENT WIECZOREK and KÉVIN BOULOGNE (L’ÉQUIPE, 3/23). ... IMG elevated a number of senior execs as part of the restructuring of the IMG Media business following IORIS FRANCINI's promotion to co-president of WME-IMG. ED MALLABURN, who oversees IMG Media's tennis portfolio, is now overseeing global business development and acquisitions for the division. KRISTIAN HYSÉN is overseeing IMG Media's global sports business, in addition to his role as lead for the Nordics region. RICHARD WISE becomes IMG Media SVP of content & channels, following the consolidation of several business segments into one streamlined offering. All three will report to Francini (IMG)....Serie A club Crotone President RAFFAELE VRENNA announced his resignation. Vrenna "took over the club," which is currently in its "first-ever Serie A season," in '92 (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 3/23) ... WADA chief spokesperson BEN NICHOLS will leave his role in May, after four years at the organization's HQ in Montreal. Nichols oversaw media relations during the tenures of previous President JOHN FAHEY and current President CRAIG REEDIE, as well as during multiple investigations into widespread doping in sport (WADA). ... Spanish Secretary of State for Sport JOSÉ RAMÓN LETE reportedly dismissed Spanish Superior Sports Council (CSD) Deputy Dir General of Professional Sport & Financial Control FERNANDO PUIG DE LA BELLACASA, who will leave the organization at the end of April (AS, 3/23).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Super League rugby side Salford Red Devils head coach IAN WATSON "signed a new three-year contract." Watson "took over after IESTYN HARRIS' departure" in July '15 and "guided them to safety in his first season" (BBC, 3/23). ... Kent County Cricket Club "appointed former Yorkshire coach JASON GILLESPIE as assistant to MATT WALKER on an interim basis." Gillespie will "stay with Kent until ALLAN DONALD earns the qualifications to gain a visa and become assistant on a full-time basis" (BBC, 3/23). ... PEDRO TROGLIO was named the new coach of Peruvian first division side Universitario de Deportes. He replaces ROBERTO CHALE and "will be officially introduced on Friday" (TROME, 3/22).
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