League Championship club Cardiff City Chair DATO CHAN TIEN GHEE has "stepped down from his role with immediate effect." The Malaysian, who has been chairman since '10, is "leaving to pursue other business opportunities" (DAILY MAIL, 3/1). ... League Two Aldershot Town Football Club announced that SHAHID AZEEM will replace KRIS MACHALA as club chairman. Machala has been chairman since July '10 and will remain a majority shareholder and a board director (Aldershot Town). ... Long-time Int'l Table Tennis Federation President, ADHAM SHARARA "has revealed he will run for another four years." The Canadian was president for the past 14 years and "announced this week at a meeting of the ITTF Executive Committee in Qatar he will stand again at the AGM" scheduled for May in Paris (ISPORTCONNECT, 3/1). ... Former LOCOG Chair SEBASTIAN COE "is to chair of the newly formed sports development charity" Int'l Inspiration, charged with delivering the legacy of London 2012 (Tennis Industry Association UK).
COACHES/MANAGERS: English Rugby League club Salford City Reds have sacked coach PHIL VEIVERS. The team had won just one game since July and conceded 196 points in its opening five games of the season. Salford has appointed head of youth development ALAN HUNTE as caretaker coach (THE SUNDAY TIMES, 3/3). ... Iranian football club Damash has sacked coach HAMID DERAKHSHAN. Former Gahar coach MEHDI TARTAR "will likely replace" him (TEHRAN TIMES, 3/3).
