Two-way shootout for UK Athletics chairman position between Ian Beattie and Chris Grant

Sport England’s Chris Grant is one in every of two frontrunners for the UK Athletics chairman position

A two-way shootout has developed for the chairman’s position at crisis-hit UK Athletics.

Sportsmail understands it’s between former Scottish Athletics chair Ian Beattie and Sport England board member Chris Grant to land the submit.

The last spherical of interviews has been held this week, with the urgency across the new appointment escalating at a time of chaos for the organisation.

The present chair, Nic Coward, is leaving subsequent month.

There had been calls for the funding physique UK Sport to intervene by making an strategy to Sir Brendan Foster, as revealed by Sportsmail, however whereas that transfer had sturdy assist from main figures on the worldwide observe and area scene it has evidently not developed to an SOS name.

Scottish Athletics chairman Ian Beattie (above) is one other particular person within the operating for the position

Beattie and Grant are each effectively revered inside sport, although Beattie will probably maintain the benefit due to his background in athletics. 

Indeed, the shortage of an athletics background among the many governing physique’s hierarchy, which is led by CEO Joanna Coates, has turn into a fevered speaking level amongst their many critics.

The temper throughout the sport reached a brand new low earlier this month when quite a lot of Britain’s finest identified athletes made a direct plea for assist to World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, citing their disillusionment with the way in which the game on this nation is run.

Current UK Athletics chairman Nic Coward (above) is leaving his position subsequent month