Spanish second division side Osasuna's board on Wednesday sacked club VP EVA BLANCO and Dir JUAN RAMÓN LAFÓN "due to lack of trust in them" to remain in their positions. Blanco and Lafón had recently publicly expressed concerns with Osasuna President LUIS SABALZA's "style" of presidency (EFE, 2/24). ... The nomination of GUY FORGET to the post of Roland-Garros director will be “put to a vote Friday at a federal office meeting.” The former French Davis Cup captain’s nomination is “considered a foregone conclusion.” Forget has been CEO of the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 since ’12 (RMC SPORT, 2/25). ... Serie A side Inter confirmed the appointment of GIOVANNI GARDINI as its new chief football administrator. A statement from the club's website said, "Gardini's main responsibilities in this new role will cover sport institutional relations, player transfer administration and oversight of the sport secretariat." Gardini will start on March 1, and will "work alongside the technical side" led by PIERO AUSILIO in his role as chief sports officer. Both will "report directly" to Inter CEO MICHAEL BOLINGBROKE (FOOTBALL ITALIA, 2/25). ... The IOC announced that Russian Olympic Committee President ALEXANDER ZHUKOV "has been appointed to chair the Coordination Commission of the 2022 Winter Games in China's Beijing." The IOC also announced on Wednesday that Olympic Medalist and former IOC Athletes' Commission Chair FRANK FREDERICKS was named the chair of the Evaluation Commission 2024, and IOC Exec board member UGUR ERDENER "would head the YOG Tripartite Working Group" (TASS, 2/24). ... Liquor baron and Force India F1 co-Owner VIJAY MALLYA has "agreed to resign from his post of chairman and non-executive director of India's largest spirits company" United Spirits Ltd., the local arm of Diageo. Mallya "sold most of his shares in United Spirits, which was a part of his UB Group, and gave management control to Diageo" in '12. In April last year, the United Spirits board began a "process to remove Mallya as its chairman due to alleged financial irregularities." Mallya had "denied the allegations and had refused to resign" (REUTERS, 2/25).
COACHES/MANGERS: Swiss Challenge League side FC Bienne Manager PATRIK RAHMEN decided to quit his position “with immediate effect.” Rahmen said that his decision was based on “unpaid salaries and the lack of confidence that exists within the team.” Rahmen had taken control of the team “four days before the end of last season.” Assistant coach PETAR ALEXANDROV will “take command of the team” (24 HEURES, 2/25). ... Former Tottenham and Fulham Manager MARTIN JOL has been "appointed as the new coach" of Egyptian side Al Ahly. The Dutchman replaces Portuguese coach JOSE PESEIRO, "who left the club in January to take over at Porto." Jol has "also had spells" with German side Hamburg and Dutch club Ajax (BBC, 2/25). ... Spanish second division side Lugo named JOSÉ ANTONIO DURÁN RIVAS its coach for the rest of the season. He replaces LUIS MILLA. Durán Rivas "previously spent more than 10 years with Lugo, first as a player and later as a coach" (EFE, 2/25).
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