Former League One side Blackpool Dir VALERI BELOKON has been disqualified by the English Football League "under the Owners' and Directors' Test." The club has been informed of the decision regarding Belokon, who was convicted and given a 20-year jail term in Kyrgyzstan for "money laundering, tax evasion and dishonesty" in his absence in May. Blackpool also suspended Belokon's representative, KASPARS VARPINS (BBC, 9/28). ... The Gibraltar Government appointed William Hill Dir of Regulatory Affairs ANDREW LYMAN as the head of its Gambling Division. Lyman is "expected to take up his position in January following a near year-long search" for a replacement for PHILL BREAR (GAMING INTELLIGENCE, 9/28). ... Cricket South Africa President CHRIS NENZANI on Thursday confirmed that the organization and its CEO, HAROON LORGAT, "mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect" (SPORT24, 9/28).
COACHES/MANAGERS: CARLO ANCELOTTI has been sacked as manager of Bayern Munich. Following Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League defeat by Paris St. Germain, the club's board "decided to dismiss the Italian," who replaced PEP GUARDIOLA at the start of last season. Ancelotti, 58, helped Bayern win the Bundesliga last term, but the club "only" reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League and the German Cup semifinals. Assistant coach WILLY SAGNOL will take temporary charge (BBC, 9/28). ... The FA is planning to appoint MO MARLEY as the interim manager of the England women's football team this week. The former Everton Ladies manager will replace the sacked MARK SAMPSON "on a temporary appointment until the end of the year," when the FA will launch a "more exhaustive search for a permanent successor." Marley knows "most of England's players" through her work with the U19 team and is viewed as a "safe pair of hands" to replace Sampson (LONDON TIMES, 9/28). ... La Liga side Las Palmas hired former Valencia coach PAKO AYESTARÁN (AP, 9/27). ... National Rugby League side Canterbury Bulldogs appointed DEAN PAY as coach. Pay signed a two-year deal to take over from DES HASLER, who is taking legal action against the club after it claimed his two-year contract extension was "non-binding." Only two candidates -- Pay and assistant coach JIM DYMOCK -- were interviewed for the job (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 9/28).
