Moorcroft’s successor is from world of business
By Tom Knight
Last Updated: 11:51pm GMT 07/01/2007
The chairman of UK Athletics will be announced tomorrow at the sport’s headquarters in Birmingham.
The announcement brings to an end a four month-long search for the two people who will effectively replace David Moorcroft, who quit after nine years as chief executive at the end of August.
The appointment of a chairman, who has been asked to commit 20 days a year to the sport, will be closely followed by the naming of a full-time chief executive from a short list that includes Niels de Vos, the chief executive of Sale Sharks.
Many hoped that with a designated role as front man and cheerleader for the premier Olympic sport in the build-up to London 2012, the new chairman would be a distinguished former athlete. Among the names being suggested were Lord Sebastian Coe, Brendan Foster and Steve Cram, but none expressed interest.
To the surprise of many, it is understood that the man who will be unveiled tomorrow is a businessman rather than a former athlete.
Meanwhile, Christine Ohuruogu’s future will be decided in a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing in London on Thursday.
The Commonwealth 400 metres champion is appealing against a one-year ban.
Ohuruogu, 22, one of the Britain’s biggest medal hopes for the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, is still struggling to come to terms with being out for 12 months and the possibility of also being banned under British rules from representing her country at future Olympics. She has threatened to quit if the ban is not reduced. The decision of the CAS will be final.