UK Sport backs Colin Moynihan's call for better recognition for coaches

Paul Dancey on 07/08/2012

UK Sport have issued a statement supporting British Olympic Association Chairman Colin Moynihan's call for better recognition of the coaches working with athletes at this year's London Games, saying: "We wholly support the comments of British Olympic Association Chairman Colin Moynihan that the coach of the Olympic athlete is often the unsung hero of a great performance.

"It would be fantastic to see these dedicated and vocational people better recognised, none more so than on the New Year’s honours list. The profile of the coach is always in the shadow of the athlete or the team and it is right for their sacrifices and talents to be properly acknowledged.

"UK Sport has identified coaching as a key element of its high performance system and encourages all the Olympic and Paralympic Sports it funds to invest in home grown coaching talent.

"There are more than 40 coaches who have been supported by UK Sport coaching programmes working with British athletes at London 2012. These include Tony Minichiello who coaches Jess Ennis and Paul Manning who coaches the Women’s team pursuit track cycling squad.

"Over the last 4 years UK Sport has invested £3.5m in development programmes aimed at the coaches employed in the World Class Performance Programme. UK Sport has also invested over £5m in the coaching pathway to build a sustainable system to ensure our coaches are amongst the best trained and supported in the world. Further investment of £5million has been secured as we build towards Rio 2016."

back to article index