ِدسمتسئµ has today published a summary of findings from the independent review commissioned into ِدسمتسئµ Athletics, and together with the Home Country Sports Councils, has set out a Change Plan for the future. The review (available here), was designed to quickly identify the main areas of change and development required to create an organisation that was fit-for-the-future, paid particular attention to the areas of strategy, leadership & culture, governance and integration & connectivity.
In response to the review, ِدسمتسئµ has worked with Sport England, Sport NI, sportscotland and Sport Wales, to develop a Change Plan which identifies a series of actions to be implemented by the sport before the end of 2020. At its heart, The Plan outlines how all five Sports Councils are committed to supporting ِدسمتسئµA to become an exceptional organisation, as part of an aligned system of governing bodies overseeing athletics across the ِدسمتسئµ (these being ِدسمتسئµA, England Athletics, Athletics Northern Ireland, Scottish Athletics and Welsh Athletics).
The areas of change are as follows:
- Strategic Alignment and Collaboration – ِدسمتسئµA and the Home County Athletics Federations to co-develop a long-term ِدسمتسئµ-wide strategy and framework agreement for the sport of athletics across the ِدسمتسئµ
- Leadership and Governance – ِدسمتسئµA to reform its Board and Members Council in order to implement a more effective and collegiate style of leadership and governance
- Thematic Changes – ِدسمتسئµA to deliver projects as a priority in the following areas:
- Ethical decision making and culture
- New communications strategy
- Shared services study
The full Change Plan is available here.
Sally Munday, CEO of ِدسمتسئµ said: “The independent review into ِدسمتسئµ Athletics has provided clear areas of focus to help ِدسمتسئµA and the wider sport in the ِدسمتسئµ to tackle the deep-rooted problems in athletics.
“It has laid the groundwork for some really positive collaboration between ourselves and the Home Country Sports Councils to agree a very clear Change Plan for ِدسمتسئµA and the Home Country Athletics Federations to work on together.
“We hope that this can mark the beginning of a new chapter for athletics in this country. We’ve been encouraged by the positive engagement we’ve had with the Board and executive leadership team at ِدسمتسئµA in recent weeks and believe that this can be the springboard needed for one of our most popular sports to flourish.”
Dame Sue Street, who conducted the independent review added: “Athletics is an extraordinary sport at which the ِدسمتسئµ excels, deserving the highest quality of ethical and effective administration, with increased commitment to strategic alignment across the Home Nations. I have been encouraged by the swift action planning by ِدسمتسئµ following my recommendations and hope that the momentum and positive approach now required will allow the sport to thrive.”
The Change Plan outlines a set of clear deliverables for ِدسمتسئµA and the Home Country Athletics Federations to deliver before the end of 2020. The key milestones within the Change Plan are as follows:
- End May 2020 – ِدسمتسئµA and HCAF formal statements of commitment to the Change Plan
- End May 2020 – Key milestones submitted to Sports Councils
- End May 2020 – Interim Collaboration Agreement submitted to Sports Councils
- End Sep 2020 – Strategy and Framework Agreement submitted to Sports Councils
- End Sep 2020 – Board reform plan submitted to Sports Councils
- End Sep 2020 – ِدسمتسئµA Members Council reform plan submitted to Sports Councils
- End Nov 2020 – ِدسمتسئµA and HCAF Articles of Association amended
- End Dec 2020 – ِدسمتسئµA Board changes made
The Summary of Findings is available here and the ِدسمتسئµA Change Plan is available here.