JEAN-FRANÇOIS VILOTTE was named general director of the French Tennis Federation (FFT). He held the same role from '07-09. The FFT had operated without a general director since BERNARD GIUDICELLI took over as president in '17 (L'ÉQUIPE, 10/3). ... Spanish second division side Numancia named MOISÉS ISRAEL its new president, replacing FRANCISCO RUBIO (AS, 10/3). ... The World Chess Federation elected its first new president in more than two decades on Wednesday, choosing former Russian politician ARKADY DVORKOVICH (REUTERS, 10/3).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Nippon Professional Baseball club Yomiuri Giants Manager YOSHINOBU TAKAHASHI confirmed he will step down after failing to win the Central League pennant during his three years in charge. Takahashi said that he "needed to take responsibility for the lack of a pennant the past three seasons" (KYODO, 10/3). ... STEVE BRUCE was sacked by League Championship side Aston Villa after "a sequence of one win in 10 matches." The atmosphere at Villa Park on Tuesday night "turned toxic" as Villa was held to a 3-3 draw by Preston North End and Bruce "had a cabbage thrown at him" (London GUARDIAN, 10/3).
