Former England & Wales Cricket Board CEO DAVID COLLIER "is the first boss of international rugby league." Collier "was unveiled as the first full-time executive officer" of the Rugby League Int'l Federation on Thursday. Collier "left the ECB last year." The new RLIF office "will be located in London and Collier starts work on April 1" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 3/12). ... IOC Communications Dir MARK ADAMS was named IOC President THOMAS BACH's ''presidential spokesman" (AP, 3/11). ... Former McLaren F1 Team Principal MARTIN WHITMARSH has joined Britain's bid to return the America's Cup to its shores for the first time after being named CEO of BEN AINSLIE Racing on Thursday. Whitmarsh will work alongside Britain's “most successful Olympic sailor whose team is attempting to earn the right to challenge holders Oracle Team USA” at the 35th America's Cup in ‘17. ADRIAN NEWEY, who worked as a designer with Whitmarsh at McLaren and “is still with the Red Bull team, is also part of Ainslie's team” (REUTERS, 3/12). ... Sports analytics company Futures Sport + Entertainment named CATIE GRIGGS VP, Americas. She will lead FS+E business development and operations in North and South America working with FS+E Global Head of Strategy KEVIN ALAVY. Prior to joining FS+E, Griggs worked at Turner Sports, focused on business development as well as creating and implementing strategies to grow the media property’s integrated TV, web and mobile offerings (FS+E). ... Japan confirmed the appointment of former Algeria and Ivory Coast Manager VAHID HALILHODZIC as its new head coach. The 62-year-old Franco-Bosnian succeeds JAVIER AGUIRRE, who was sacked last month "amid fears that Japan's hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup could be hindered by the Mexican's alleged involvement in a match-fixing investigation in Spain." Halilhodzic "had been out of work since leaving Turkish side Trabzonspor in November" (REUTERS, 3/12). ... Premiership rugby side Sale Sharks coach BRYAN REDPATH has left the club "with immediate effect." The former Sale scrum-half returned to the club in '12 as director of rugby after a spell in charge at Gloucester. But "after their worst start to a Premiership season, the former Scotland international was demoted to a coaching role" in '12, which he has held since. Redpath is "reportedly favourite to take over at Championship club Yorkshire" following TOMMY MCGEE's departure (BBC, 3/12).
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