DAVID MOORCROFT IS A LOVELY FELLOW AS IS LYN DAVIES AND BOTH WERE SUPER ATHLETES, BUT THEY ARE NOT MAKING GOOD DECISIONS: A CLASSIC EXAMPLE WAS THE WAY KEITH CONNOR WAS TREATED WHEN UKA WERE HUNTING FOR THEIR NEW HEAD COACH. kk
The Times August 01, 2006
On your marks, set . . . Coe
By Matthew Syed
LORD COE is ready to take the helm of UK Athletics in what could prove to be the greatest challenge of his career.
Sources inside athletics have told The Times that Coe would accept the chalice of turning around one of the worst-functioning institutions in British sport if the job were offered.
Coe would want to abolish the post of president, at present performed by Lynn Davies, and step into a new role as chairman.
It is understood that Coe would dismiss David Moorcroft, the UKA chief executive, and replace him with someone with an energetic track record of success in business. Jon Ridgeon, the former hurdler and managing partner of Fast Track, the sports marketing company, has been mentioned. Under any Coe-led regime, Dave Collins, the performance director, would also face dismissal.
Lord Moynihan, the chairman of the British Olympic Association, called for the change as a matter of urgency. “Action needs to be taken now and Seb Coe is the man for the job,” he said.
Richard Caborn, the Sports Minister, who has been instrumental in calling for systematic changes to UK Athletics, said that he was “frustrated with the speed with which change is being implemented” but stopped short of calling for Moorcroft’s resignation.
John Bicourt, who formerly managed Moorcroft in his post-athletics career and who is an executive officer of the Association of British Athletics Clubs, said: “Moorcroft’s track record as chief executive has been one of abject failure. The sport cannot recover until he has gone.”
Sources have told The Times that Coe would want to combine any new role as chairman of UK Athletics with his role as chairman of the London 2012 organising committee.