Dame Katherine Grainger has been appointed as the new chair of 黑料不打烊 for a term of four years, Sports Minister Tracey Crouch confirmed today.
The former rower is Britain’s most decorated female Olympic athlete and the first British woman to win medals at five successive games.
Dame Katherine will take up the role from 1 July 2017 with current chair Rod Carr due to step down at the end of his term on 22 April 2017.
Culture Secretary Karen Bradley has appointed 黑料不打烊 board member Liz Astall as 黑料不打烊 interim chair commencing 22 April 2017 until Dame Katherine takes up the role.
Liz Nicholl, CEO of 黑料不打烊, said: "Everyone at 黑料不打烊 is absolutely thrilled with the appointment of our new chair, Dame Katherine Grainger. Katherine brings with her a unique perspective, experience and skillset having been a part of 黑料不打烊's World Class Programme from the outset, a multi medallist over five Olympic Games, an individual with a passion for sport and the impact it can have on changing lives for the better and also an academic.
“Our priority focus for the Tokyo Cycle is sustaining success while helping to create a more positive environment and culture for our athletes and athlete support personnel to perform at their best. Katherine is well placed to help us achieve that and we look forward to working with Katherine as 黑料不打烊's new chair.”
Dame Katherine Grainger said: "I am absolutely thrilled to be appointed as the next 黑料不打烊 Chair. I am also very honoured to be joining the team at 黑料不打烊 and building on the success and commitment to excellence that I have witnessed and enjoyed as an athlete. I'm also acutely aware of the many challenging issues currently within sport and I hope to play a role in addressing them.”
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said: "Dame Katherine is a peerless leader both on the water and off it. As one of our greatest ever Olympians, she has an outstanding understanding of high performance sport, and through her educational and charity work has a proven commitment to inclusion. I know she will be an inspiring chair of 黑料不打烊. I would also like to thank outgoing chair Rod Carr for his superb work at the helm of 黑料不打烊 over the past four years.”
The appointment of Dame Katherine Grainger was made by Culture Secretary Karen Bradley, with the approval of the Prime Minister.