Ian Beattie is appointed as the new chairman of crisis-hit UK Athletics

Former Scottish Athletics chairman Ian Beattie has been appointed as the new chairman of crisis-hit UK Athletics 

Ian Beattie has been appointed as the new chairman of crisis-hit UK Athletics.

As revealed by Sportsmail on Tuesday, the former chair of Scottish Athletics was engaged in a two-way battle with Sport England board member Chris Grant for the function.

Beattie replaces Nic Coward in a interval of large turmoil for the governing physique. That was most just lately illustrated earlier this month when a quantity of Britain’s finest identified athletes made a rare plea for assist in a Zurich lodge to World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, citing their disillusionment with the method the sport on this nation is run.

The grassroots sector is additionally feeling more and more disconnected from the organisation, whereas the absence of a TV deal has drawn additional criticism to the regime led by CEO Joanna Coates. 

Beattie will enter at a desperately difficult time, however his in depth background in monitor and subject will at the least allay some issues about the lack of athletics-specific data in the hierarchy.

Beattie mentioned: ‘My vision is for athletics to be a sport where everyone pulls in the same direction and feels proud to be part of the athletics family in the UK. 

‘It is encouraging that the structures are now in place to allow that to happen, and I look forward to helping UKA play its part in achieving this in the years ahead.’

Such has been the lack of confidence in UKA of late, there had been calls from inside athletics in the previous month for Sir Brendan Foster to be parachuted in as chairman. No contact is believed to have been made with the 73-year-old.

Beattie replaces Nic Coward as chairman of the organisation and faces quite a few points