The Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) announced that PERE MIRÓ will serve as the IOC's deputy director general for its work with the Olympic Movement. In addition to remaining director of Olympic Solidarity and the department of relations with national Olympic committees, Miró will assist IOC President THOMAS BACH and Dir General CHRISTOPHE DE KEPPER with their work "strengthening relations with the Olympic Movement" (EFE, 3/5). ... Brasileiro side Grêmio VP FÁBIO KOFF resigned Thursday "due to personal and familial issues.” Football exec RUI COSTA, Football Dir CÉSAR PACHECO and President ROMILDO BOLZAN JR. "will continue" as the club searches for a replacement (GAZETA ESPORTIVA, 3/5). ... JUAN ANGEL NAPOUT was re-elected as president of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). Napout was also appointed a VP of FIFA. Napout was "unanimously voted in by the 10 member federations and will serve the dual role in mandates set to run for another four years" (AFP, 3/4). ... Motorsport.com on Thursday announced it named PABLO ELIZALDE news editor, Europe. He assumes his role immediately, reporting to newly appointed Editor In Chief CHARLES BRADLEY, and working along with F1 Editor JONATHAN NOBLE, who both joined from Autosport (Motorsport.com). ... Under Armour named COO KIP FULKS President of Footwear & Product Innovation. Fulks, one of UA's founders, has also held the role of president of product. UA CFO BRAD DICKERSON "will take on the duties and title" of COO, which "oversees accounting, finance, legal, compliance and corporate real estate functions." Dickerson "also will head supply chain operations and corporate strategy" (BALTIMORE SUN, 3/4). ... Serie A side Parma Dir General PIETRO LEONARDI announced his resignation "due to on-going health issues." Leonardi "was on the club board through all three owners" -- TOMMASO GHIRARDI, REZART TACI and GIAMPIETRO MANENTI. He has twice been hospitalized in recent weeks, including a spell at a clinic specializing in "depression and anxiety attacks" (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 3/4).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Brasileiro side Santos Manager ENDERSON MOREIRA was terminated Thursday "soon after a practice." The news "surprised everyone," especially as Moreira did a press conference minutes before knowing he was no longer the club's manager. Moreira was never President MODESTO ROMA JR.'s "favorite option" and his "explosive way of leading the athletes during training" were reasons the board of directors terminated him (YAHOO, 3/5). ... Japan FA President KUNIYA DAINI announced Wednesday that ex-Algeria coach VAHID HALILHODZIC has agreed to manage Japan. Halilhodzic came "at the recommendation" of former Japan coach IVICA OSIM, also a Bosnian. Halilhodzic’s appointment "will be rubber-stamped" by the JFA’s exec board on March 12. The terms of Halilhodzic’s contract "were not immediately known." Reportedly, the 62-year-old will be offered "an annual salary of €2 million ($2.2 million)," which would make him the highest-paid Japan manager ever (JAPAN TIMES, 3/5). ... Former Senegal int'l defender ALIOU CISSE, who "captained Senegal when they reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002," was named on Thursday as Senegal's national team coach. Cisse replaces Frenchman ALAIN GIRESSE, whose contract ran out in January (REUTERS, 5/5).
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