With the Games over, sports desks across the country are beginning to redeploy staff who, in some cases, have spent nearly a decade on the Olympic beat.
Among the first to start a new job is SJA member Matthew Beard – the Evening Standard‘s Olympics editor has now been named as the London title’s infrastructure editor.
The role will keep Beard at City Hall following the announcements of Boris Johnson very closely.
“The new beat is wide-ranging and will cover major projects in London including the aviation debate – Heathrow versus Boris Island – Crossrail and the regeneration of the East End,” Beard said today.
“There will also be numerous Olympic legacy stories I hope, starting with whether West Ham make the stadium their new home – and if so at what extra cost to the taxpayer.”
The job will call upon many of the contacts that Beard built up over several years, first at the Independent and more recently at the Standard.
“The London 2012 story has been fertile territory – spanning almost nine years, several hundred bylines and countless rows with the LOCOG press office,” Beard said.
“It’s been huge fun and I hope to be able to use the knowledge and contacts gained covering the Olympics in my new role.”
UPCOMING SJA EVENTS
Thu Dec 6: 2012 SJA British Sports Awards. An Olympic year extravaganza at the Tower of London. Click here for more details, news of members’ discounts and a booking form.