POONAM MAHAJAN was "unanimously elected as the head" of the Basketball Federation of India. The 65-year-old governing and controlling body of basketball in India for the first time "got a woman as its president." The 34-year-old Poonam is the "youngest president of any national federation in India." In yet another first, another woman, Delhi Basketball Association Secretary ROOPAM HARISH SHARMA, was "unanimously elected as the Secretary General of the BFI." The national governing body of basketball "became the first ever national federation to be headed by women representatives." Basketball Association of Assam Secretary MUKUT MEDHI was also "named as the new treasurer" of the BFI exec committe (PTI, 3/28). ... England 2015 Rugby World Cup CEO DEBBIE JEVANS withdrew from an engagement on Friday citing illness and "announced her decision to leave England Rugby 2015 with immediate effect" because of "personal reasons." Rugby Football Union CFO STEPHEN BROWN "will take over the responsibility for delivering the tournament," which kicks off on Sept. 18, as the new managing director of ER2015 (LONDON TIMES, 3/27).
COACHES/MANAGERS: EPL side Stoke City Manager MARK HUGHES has "agreed a new contract" until '18 and "predicted a bright future for the club after confounding the gloomy predictions" made when he took over two years ago. Hughes joined Stoke in May '13, replacing fellow Welshman TONY PULIS, who had "turned the club into an established Premier League team in his seven years at the helm" (REUTERS, 3/27). ... The Asian Football Confederation has appointed former Scotland Manager ANDY ROXBURGH as its new technical director. The 71-year-old held a similar role with UEFA for 18 years before leaving in '12 and his appointment "continues the growing links between the Asian and European confederations in recent years." Roxburgh, who will be "based in Kuala Lumpur at AFC House, was previously sporting director at the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer but left that role last year" (REUTERS, 3/28).
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