Moorcroft quits as athletics boss

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David Moorcroft has resigned as chief executive of UK Athletics.

The 53-year-old, in charge of British athletics since 1997, has come under increasing fire after a string of disappointing international results.

“I am convinced I am taking the right decision - it is time to let someone new take the helm and lead the sport to London 2012,” said Moorcroft.

Track legends Lord Sebastian Coe, Steve Cram and Daley Thompson have been tipped as candidates to take the role.

And the pressure on Moorcroft’s successor will be intense ahead of the 2012 Olympics, to be hosted by London.

But Moorcroft will be staying on for a time to ensure a smooth transition.

Britain won just one gold medal at the 2006 European Championships, by far their lowest total for 20 years and a pale return compared to the nine golds won in 1990 and 1998.

“I am proud of the UK Athletics I am leaving behind,” said Moorcroft, who had financial success stories, including a £50m sponsorship deal with Norwich Union this year.

"Athletics now has the system, funding facilities and, most importantly, the people in place to take the sport into the next phase of its development.

"It has also been hugely encouraging to see a number of young talented athletes emerging on the international scene over the last year.

“These athletes will be in their prime in 2012 and athletics in the UK is now in the position to support their aspirations.”

Moorcroft was praised as a “man of integrity” by minister for sport, Richard Caborn.

“Moorcroft has made a first-class contribution to athletics in this country, both as a world record-breaking competitor and as an administrator,” said Caborn in a statement.

“He came into UK Athletics at a very difficult time for the sport and leaves it financially in a much healthier state and with our next generation of young stars performing well in Gothenburg and at the World Junior Championships.”

UK Athletics president Lynn Davies added: "Dave has given so much to athletics in this country. He has secured the financial solvency of the sport and had a key role in its restructuring.

“The whole of the athletics community now needs to come together and collectively step up and meet the biggest challenge in our sport’s history.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/5281328.stm

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GIVE NEW MAN TIME - MOORCROFT
By David Martin, PA Sport

David Moorcroft wants his successor as chief executive of UK Athletics to be given enough time to prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Moorcroft, who has been in the job for nine years, revealed that before Lord Sebastian Coe steered the London bid to success in Singapore 13 months ago, he had already planned to quit after the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The former world 5000metres record holder, who leaves his post in six months’ time, took over as chief executive of the British Athletics Federation almost a decade ago.

Within a fortnight of his appointment the BAF had gone into receivership.

Moorcroft has since led the sport through some turbulent periods, including drug scandals, a lack of success at world level and criticism of their grassroots policy.

But he has also overseen the establishment of UK Athletics in 1999.

Earlier this month the Norwich Union GB teams exceeded their medal targets in both the European and World Junior Championships in Gothenburg and Beijing respectively.

Moorcroft said today: "Now almost everything is right apart from the personal success of the British team - but I think that will come.

"I want to make the transition to my successor as smooth as possible and I will also try to achieve as much as I possibly can in the next three to six months.

"I made the decision to leave in July, although I had been thinking about it after the announcement the Olympics were coming to Britain in 2012.

"I’ve been in the job for nine years and my plan was to go after Beijing. The Olympics come in a four-year cycle, and I feel my successor needs more time starting now, to get his feet under the table for 2012.

“I’ve been doing the job of chief executive, longer than any other in UK sport and I feel now is the time to leave.”

Moorcroft rejected suggestions he had decided to quit after being heavily criticised in sections of the media in recent weeks.

He insisted it was better to defer his decision until after the two championship meetings had finished.

Moorcroft said: "I left the decision until after Gothenburg and Beijing and it was unfortunate some of the stuff in the papers coincided with it.

“I feel this is the right time to go and for the right reasons,” added Moorcroft, before summing up some of the highlights of his tenure.

He said: "We are the wealthiest athletics federation in the world.

“Commercially we have signed a £40million deal in the build-up to London 2012 and we have a £20million legacy grant from UK Sport, to spend at grass roots level.”

Moorcroft also pointed to the success of the athletes under the age of 25 who won eight medals at the European Championships in Gothenburg.

“The next couple of years are going to be tough, but Britain did better there and exceeded the number of medals it was forecast to win,” he said.

John Taylor, chairman of the board of governors at UK Athletics, revealed Moorcroft’s input into the recruitment of his successor would be welcome.

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Former world 1500m champion Steve Cram has ruled himself out of the running to succeed the outgoing Dave Moorcroft as UK Athletics chief executive.

He told BBC Sport: “I’m not interested now or in the foreseeable future.”

But former hurdler and Fast Track managing director Jon Ridgeon signalled his interest and said: “It’s a big job and a wonderful opportunity.”

Moorcroft resigned from the post on Thursday but will stay on while UKA find and appoint his successor.

UKA is likely to take a considered approach to finding a replacement for Moorcroft, who held the post for nine years.

Lord Sebastian Coe is perceived to be the frontrunner but is unlikely to stand down from his high-profile post as chairman of the 2012 London Organising Committee.

Ridgeon, 39, has also been linked with the post and has an attractive combination of athletics experience both on the track and in organising major athletics events for Fast Track.

“Who wouldn’t want to be chief executive of a sport which is the Olympic Games’ premier attraction?” said former world 110m hurdles silver medallist Ridgeon.

“Those who might be considering applying must take stock of where they are at - but that’s not something for today.”

But Cram, a BBC Sport commentator and chairman of the English Institute for Sport, was quick to rule himself out of the running.

He told BBC Sport: "I’m more than happy to help and advise those within the sport but I already have a full-time job.

“I would not be able to do what I do if I had an official role in UK Athletics so I doubt I’ll have one until I’m old and grey.”

Cram is, however, aware of the complexities of the job facing the new boss.

The chief executive has to meet the requirements of a board, a new UK Members Council, which will be selected in the autumn, and a host of athletics clubs across the regions.

Cram says no immediate candidate stands out who is capable of juggling all these skills with an in-depth knowledge of the sport.

“Some people will say you have to appoint someone who is entrenched in the sport like Dave was,” said Cram.

"Others in the sport will say we need a strong businessman and leader. But if that happens the other half will say ‘well. he doesn’t know what it’s like to run for a club.’

"Whoever comes in will be aware of the problems that the sport itself is facing and the problems of trying to govern a sport which has lots of different strands to it.

“They will have to be able to sit down with disgruntled club secretaries and help win Britain medals and get athletics into schools. It requires an incredible mix of skills.”

And Cram believes Moorcroft’s departure should be used as an opportunity to introduce changes in the structure of the organisation as a whole.

“It is easy to replace one person at the top and assume things will change - but they won’t,” said Cram.

"We need to take a fresh look at how the sport is governed and this is an opportunity to change the structure before a new person comes in.

“The chief executive was always the single most powerful figure in UK Athletics but now we need a bit more strategic leadership from a strong board and chairman.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/5282720.stm

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Interesting. Favourites for the position - who would be the right person for the job? Daley? Coe?

Linford:)

Will Collins be ousted?

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None of the above.

It’s a bureaucratic position. Send down someone from Whitehall who still loves his athletics. Either that or they’ll try to find some football (soccer or rugby) club chief executive and try to convert him . . . wait, isn’t that how they ended up with a judo player as head track coach? :stuck_out_tongue:

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Wait… Wait… Colin Jackson, yes! That’s my suggestion… :smiley:

EDIT: Sven?

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Clive Woodward?

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Probably a good idea to get out now before the iron really gets hot.

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Dave Moorcroft’s successor as UK Athletics chief executive could come from outside sport, says Lord Coe.

Daley Thompson, Jon Ridgeon and Steve Cram have been linked with the post.

But Coe told the BBC: "It isn’t essential to have sporting experience at the top of that CV, but you do need to be a first-rate administrator.

“It does need to be somebody that can actually build a team, change some of the cultures in that team and make sure that those people with talent.”

Coe, London 2012 chairman and a UK Athletics board member, said that the job could be split between two people.

“We’re going to meet on 4 September in an emergency council meeting to start the ball rolling on this whole issue,” he said.

"I can see the case for having a division of responsibilities.

"I don’t want to sit there narrowing this field down. This has to be the widest trawl possible.

“The only objective we should have, whether they are from inside or outside the sport, is to bring people of the highest calibre to the table.”

Moorcroft, who is to step down in six months after nine years in the job, added: "If they want a famous leader, someone with a profile, then people like Steve Cram have got that image, as has Jon Ridgeon.

“But a range of skills are needed and to have just one person maybe is not the right way forward.”

Ridgeon has expressed an interest but Cram, who is head of the English Institute of Sport, told the BBC last week that he was not interested in the job at this time.

Coe is perceived to be a strong contender in some circles but is unlikely to stand down from his high-profile post as chairman of the 2012 London Organising Committee.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/5290306.stm

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Coe makes views clear on UK boss

Coe believes the new chief executive role could be split
Dave Moorcroft’s successor as UK Athletics chief executive could come from outside sport, says Lord Coe.
Daley Thompson, Jon Ridgeon and Steve Cram have been linked with the post.

But Coe told the BBC: "It isn’t essential to have sporting experience at the top of that CV, but you do need to be a first-rate administrator.

“It needs to be someone that can build a team, change some of the cultures in that team and make sure those people with talent get to the top.”

Coe, London 2012 chairman and a UK Athletics board member, said that the job could be split between two people.

“We’re going to meet on 4 September in an emergency council meeting to start the ball rolling on this whole issue,” he said.

a range of skills are needed and to have just one person may be is not the right way forward

David Moorcroft

"I can see the case for having a division of responsibilities.

"I don’t want to sit there narrowing this field down. This has to be the widest trawl possible.

“The only objective we should have, whether they are from inside or outside the sport, is to bring people of the highest calibre to the table.”

Moorcroft, who is to step down in six months after nine years in the job, added: "If they want a famous leader, someone with a profile, then people like Steve Cram have got that image, as has Jon Ridgeon.

“But a range of skills are needed and to have just one person maybe is not the right way forward.”

Ridgeon has expressed an interest but Cram, who is head of the English Institute of Sport, told the BBC last week that he was not interested in the job at this time.

Coe is perceived to be a strong contender in some circles but is unlikely to stand down from his high-profile post as chairman of the 2012 London Organising Committee.