German media corporation Constantin Medien has appointed supervisory board member FRED KOGEL "as its new COO." Kogel "will start his new position on Oct. 1." In addition, Kogel "will become COO of Constantin Film's TV and new business department." KF 15 Manging Dir DIETER HAHN "is expected to succeed Kogel on the supervisory board" (KRESS, 4/3). ... Korea's Kookmin University has officially informed the IOC that Rep. MOON DAE-SUNG of the ruling Saenuri Party, who is a member of the IOC Athletes' Commission, "got his Ph.D from the school fraudulently." It "remains to be seen whether this will prompt the IOC to reopen its investigation of Moon, a former taekwondo athlete who won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games" (KOREA TIMES, 4/3). ... A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers striker BRENDON SANTALAB "will have to wait another week to learn his fate after a second disciplinary hearing into his alleged racial abuse" of Sydney FC's ALI ABBAS "failed to reach a verdict." All evidence "has been lodged and both sides have stated their case" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 4/3). ... Scottish 400m runner LEE MCCONNELL "has announced her retirement from athletics with immediate effect." McConnell, who took silver at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and bronze in Melbourne, said that her life "had changed since becoming a mother." McConnell: "I've now reached the decision that my career as a professional athlete has come to an end" (BBC, 4/3). ... Russian Olympic Committee President ALEXANDER ZHUKOV said that he is "surprised" to be appointed IOC evaluation commission chairman. Zhukov: "I only found out yesterday too. For me it was a bit of a surprise that I have to chair the commission that will decide which city will stage the 2022 Olympic Games" (R-SPORT, 4/3). ... Real Madrid striker GARETH BALE, "the world’s most expensive footballer, will visit Indonesia at the end of May to lend his aerial ability to a Jakarta football festival in which participants will have to head balls hanging between the National Monument and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle." In addition to the event, “Indonesia Menyundul Bola” (Indonesia Heads the Ball), Bale "will also attend a charity event and a coaching clinic" (JAKARTA GLOBE, 4/3).
ENCOURAGING SIGNS: SABINE KEHM, the manager of former F1 driver MICHAEL SCHUMACHER, said that there are "encouraging" signs in the process of bringing the seven-time world champion out of an artificial coma. Kehm said, "I can only say again there are signs which are encouraging" (BILD, 4/3). The front cover of German women's magazine Die Aktuelle took the "inaccurate and ethically dubious reporting surrounding the former Formula One champion's medical treatment to a whole new low." Together with the headline "Awake!," the magazine published a picture of the star smiling with his wife CORINNA. Naturally, the issue "has sparked criticism from Schumacher fans and foreign media alike" (London INDEPENDENT, 4/2).
