The Australian Football League's first female club CEO was on Monday "forced out of her job after just four months." Former cyclist TRACEY GAUDRY "took up her position" at Hawthorn in June after leaving a role with Athletics Australia. According to "Hawthorn insiders," Gaudry's "communications skills internally and management style at the club were considered poor" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/3). ... JASON LEONARD and STEPHEN BROWN have been appointed to the board of the British & Irish Lions as representatives from the Rugby Football Union. Former RFU President and three-time Lions tourist Leonard and RFU CEO Brown replace 2017 tour manager JOHN SPENCER and IAN RITCHIE, respectively (London TELEGRAPH, 10/2). ... Octagon announced the addition of digital media expert WILLIAM MAO to the agency's Global Media Rights Consulting group, which was launched earlier this year. Mao previously served as head of college sports for YouTube (Octagon).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Spanish second division side Albacete sacked coach JOSÉ MANUEL AIRA on Monday. The club has four points through seven games this season. Albacete "has not announced the name of his replacement" (AS, 10/2). ... Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock Manager LEE MCCULLOCH left the club "by mutual consent" after eight games. McCulloch's assistant, PETER LEVEN, also departed the club. Kilmarnock placed its academy director and coach, PAUL MCDONALD, in temporary charge of the first team (BBC, 10/1). ... Premiership Rugby side Worcester Warriors Dir of Rugby GARY GOLD will leave the side "at the end of the season" and take over as head coach of the U.S. national team. The 50-year-old South African joined Warriors in January and "guided them to Premiership safety." Gold signed a new one-year deal in April and will "see out his contract" (BBC, 10/2).
