THE KEY figures who will shape the development of the UK Sports Institute’s services were unveiled today by UK Sport.
The sixteen strong UK Sports Institute Board includes personalities from British Olympic and Paralympic sport - as well as experts from specialist areas including communications, science and technology. The make-up of the Board demonstrates how much sport has changed in recent years as it includes Sir Robert May - the Government’s former Chief Scientific Adviser - and Patricia Vaz - a former Business Woman of the Year – alongside more readily recognizable sporting figures such as Frank Dick and Steve Cram.
Developing the support that will play a key part in our athletes’ preparations for the Athens has also tempted Steve Redgrave to take a place on the Board, a move which was warmly welcomed by the Board’s Chairman, Sir Rodney Walker:
"Whilst Steve is the prime example of someone who has by and large succeeded in spite of the system, who better to have on hand to help us develop programmes to help us ensure that in future athletes win because of the system."
"Our job in delivering services through the UK Sports Institute will be to ensure that our athletes and coaches have all the support they need to achieve success at the highest level, regardless of where they are training or competing. What better way to do that than make sure we involve both athletes and coaches at Board level, whilst also selecting top experts from other key support areas."
THE BOARD’S challenge will be to:
- Agree UK-wide policy and programmes for the UK Sports Institute’s Central Services and the Home Country Institutes
- Ensure that the UK Sports Institute’s Central Services has the resources to get the job done
- Ensure that the UK Sports Institute fully utilises the expertise and experience of its Board members.
The Board meets for the first time on December 14, and the new members were under no illusions as to the size of the task awaiting them. Sir Rodney summed up the Board’s mood:
"We know that there is a considerable amount of work that needs to be done, but we are ready and looking forward to the challenge", he added.
The Board Members are:
- Sir Rodney Walker Kt, Chairman
- Craig Reedie CBE, Deputy Chairman
- Kirsten Barnes
- Alistair Gray
- Jane Swan
- Frank Dick OBE
- Stephen Martin MBE
- Sir Robert May
- Richard Nerurkar
- Gareth Davies
- Professor Eric Saunders
- Zahara Hyde Peters
- Steve Cram MBE
- Robin Miller
- Sir Steven Redgrave CBE
- Patricia Vaz