The Australian Football League announced KYLIE ROGERS as its new GM of commercial. Rogers currently serves as the managing director of website Mamamia and will join the AFL in the coming months. She previously worked at Network Ten for 17 years in a number of roles including national commercial director (AFL). ... GED RODDY is "leaving his post" as the Premier League's director of football development. Roddy oversaw the introduction of the Elite Player Performance Programme across the top level of English football (London INDEPENDENT, 9/26). ... Formula 1 Technical Department Head MARCIN BUDKOWSKI "resigned with immediate effect." He was "regarded as a rising star" at FIA, and a "key part of the new generation of heads that, in time, were eventually expected to replace" the likes of F1 Race Dir CHARLIE WHITING and F1 Technical Delegate at Grands Prix JO BAUER. Budkowski has been placed on three months' gardening leave by FIA (AUTOSPORT, 9/26). ... The Japan Ice Hockey Federation announced AKIHISA MIZUNO as its president, succeeding KENICHI CHIZUKA (Int'l Ice Hockey Federation). ... As a consequence of the review to the Volvo Ocean Race schedule, CEO MARK TURNER decided to step down. He will remain in the CEO role until a successor is appointed (Volvo Ocean Race).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Greek side Olympiakos named TAKIS LEMONIS its coach on Monday. He replaces BESNIK HASI, who left the club after three months in charge following the 3-2 defeat by AEK Athens on Sunday. Lemonis, 57, "returns for his fourth spell at the club," having served as interim coach last season. The Greek will be assisted by former Olympiakos midfielder CHRISTOS KONTIS (REUTERS, 9/25). ... La Liga side Las Palmas coach MANOLO MÁRQUEZ called a "surprise news conference" on Tuesday to announce his resignation after losing four of the first six games of the campaign. Márquez had never coached a top-flight side before "landing the job in July after leading the club's reserve team to promotion" (REUTERS, 9/26). ... Brazil's national women's football team sacked coach EMILY LIMA after "less than a year in the job." Lima, who was the first female to coach the Brazilian women's team, took over the role in November and has been replaced by OSWALDO ALVAREZ, "the person she took over from" (AP, 9/26).
