From UK Sport
UK Sport has announced that Simon Morton has been appointed to the role of Director of Major Events and International Relations.
Following Chief Operating Officer Tim Hollingsworth’s departure to become Chief Executive of the British Paralympic Association and a realignment of the senior team at UK Sport, the new post of Director of Major Events and International Relations has been created to strengthen the focus on UK Sport’s Major Events strategy and to fully integrate International Relations objectives.
Speaking on his appointment, Simon Morton said: “I am incredibly excited and privileged to be leading the UK’s work in bidding and staging major international sporting events, and developing our relationships across the international sporting community. The UK will be an incredible place to host major sporting events after London 2012 and Glasgow 2014, and we will seek to use these opportunities to establish the UK as a leading host of major international events.
“Aligned to this, our relationships with international sporting federations have never been more important, and it is critical that the UK plays its part to support the international community in promoting, governing and developing sport.”
Morton is currently Head of Major Events at UK Sport, the team responsible for overseeing the UK’s long-term strategy for the bidding and staging of major sporting events, and is responsible for providing a comprehensive programme of event-focused technical and financial support to national sporting bodies.
UK Sport’s long-term work to secure major sporting events has enjoyed recent success, with the news that the 2015 World Canoe Slalom Championships will be hosted at the London 2012 legacy facility in Broxbourne, and the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships will be hosted at the Scottish Hydro Arena in Glasgow – a legacy venue from Glasgow 2014.
Prior to UK Sport, Simon worked for the International Badminton Federation (IBF) for six years. As Head of Marketing for IBF, he was responsible for handling the sport’s major event award process, in addition to managing badminton’s global TV and sponsorship operations and rights distribution.
UK Sport Chief Executive, Liz Nicholl, said: “I am delighted to welcome Simon to the Directors Team and I congratulate him on this fantastic promotion. As we move into what will be a period of critical delivery and planning, I am confident Simon’s leadership skills and experience will ensure effective continued delivery of our ambitious Major Events and International Relations strategy.”
UPCOMING SJA DATES
- Thu July 14: SJA Sporting lunch with Charles van Commenee, head coach of UK Athletics, one year ahead of the London Olympics. For booking details click here.
- Mon Sep 12: SJA Autumn Golf Day, Muswell Hill GC. Click here for more details and to book yourself in for the day.
- Wed Dec 7: SJA 2011 British Sports Awards – Booking now open. For more details, click here.
All details subject to alteration. Keep checking sportsjournalists.co.uk for updates