Parker steps down as British Bobsleigh CEO
BySportsbeat
Published 28/09/2017 at 13:47 GMT
The CEO of the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association (BBSA) has stepped down from his role in a bid to help lessen the financial burden the cash-starved sport is bearing – a move praised by the governing body's chairman.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Richard Parker has left his role after three years with the BBSA, having overseen the merging of the two sports into a single governing body.
Parker, who was the first ever CEO appointed by the national governing body in July 2014, also worked tirelessly to improve the governance and structure of the organisation and had recently proposed a new structure for the next Olympic cycle.
But his decision to vacate his role – which will not be replaced – was taken in a bid to reduce funding costs and ensure maximum available resources can be focussed on athletes ahead of next year's Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
The news comes as leading British Bobsleigh athletes Mica McNeill and Mica Moore reached their £30,000 crowdfunding target after the national governing body had its funding withdrawn.
It also means there is now further funding in place to support athletes on the Bobsleigh World Class Performance Programme, a move welcomed by BBSA chairman Christopher Rodrigues.
"We have been working to make resources available to further support our GB Bobsleigh World Class Performance Programme and this restructure has allowed us to do that," said Rodrigues.
"Those resources mean that we can now partially support a GB Women's bobsled to compete on the World Cup circuit and press for qualification for February's Winter Olympics.
"We will now work in partnership with Mica McNeill and the other athletes to identify areas in which they still require support throughout the season.
"That support will include coaching, medical and logistical assistance and will help underpin athletes' own admirable fund-raising efforts."
And in an eventful week for British bobsleigh – which saw McNeill herald the sport as one "powered by the people" – the governing body has revealed Chris Price as its new performance director until after the PyeongChang Olympics.
It follows Lee Johnston's promotion to head coach earlier this month, meaning GB Bobsleigh will have a new leadership team in place for the coming season.
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