British Olympics Briefs – UK Athletics Finds New Coach, British Basketball Finds Sponsor

Charles van Commenee will serve as the new head coach of U.K. Athletics. (Getty Images)UK Athletics Finds New Coach

Charles van Commenee of the Netherlands was officially confirmed as the new head coach of U.K. Athletics Tuesday, given the task of reviving British performances on the track in time for the 2012 London Olympics. The announcement was made at a press conference staged at a hotel near London’s Heathrow airport.

Van Commenee replaces Dave Collins, who left his job as performance director abruptly after his track and field team won only four medals – including a single gold – at the Beijing Games. His pre-Games target had been five medals.

Van Commenee turned down the job with U.K. Athletics, the sport’s national governing body, four years ago because he was frustrated by the lengthy appointment process demanded by U.K. Sport, the government agency that funds Olympic sport in Britain. Previously, he had coached Denise Lewis to Olympic heptathlon gold in 2000 and Kelly Sotherton to heptathlon bronze in 2004 as the U.K.’s technical director for jumps and multi-events. Since 2004, he has worked as performance director for the Netherlands’ Olympic committee, helping towards delivering 16 medals, including seven golds.

The delay in the heavily-trailed appointment of the 50 year old was to allow van Commenee to complete his work with the Dutch Paralympic team. His four-year contract, worth an estimated $1 million begins on Jan. 1.

During the Beijing Olympics, van Commenee was approached directly about taking the job by Sebastian Coe, the chairman of LOCOG and a vice-president of the IAAF. There is speculation that Daley Thompson, the 1980 and 1984 Olympic decathlon gold medalist and a close associate of Coe, could be among van Commenee’s first staff appointments.

“I am hugely excited to be returning to British athletics and at such an important time for the sport as we begin the countdown to London 2012,” said van Commenee.

“The fact that I spent four years in Britain as a technical director means that I already know many of the athletes and coaches and the way in which our high performance networks operate.

"There is genuine talent here in the U.K., and my challenge is to ensure that potential translates to medal success.”

"Charles understands coaching and how to get the best out of athletes. He can make a big difference to our 2012 prospects,” noted Coe.

Deng’s Success Helps Seal Basketball Deals

British Basketball’s recent success, spearheaded by Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng, has been recognized with the announcement that five companies have signed up to be associated with the team as they aim for London 2012.

Sports agency Fast Track announced the commercial deals last weekend, while confirming that they are still seeking a title sponsorship for British Basketball.

The companies are adidas, the official kit supplier; Chicago Bulls player Luol Deng helps Britain land sponsors for its basketball program. (Getty Images)Strathmore Water, water supplier; Lucozade Sport, nutritional products supplier; Molten, ball supplier and Hire Intelligence, technology equipment supplier.

Great Britain has not qualified for the men’s Olympic basketball tournaments since finishing 20th at the 1948 Games. Although Britain is the host nation in 2012, international federation FIBA has decreed minimum standards must be reached by the British men’s and women’s teams in order to be allowed to participate at the London Games.

Bolstered by several NBA and American college players, last week the GB men’s team qualified for the European championships for the first time in 28 years, a feat which should guarantee a top-12 qualifying spot for 2012.

British head coach Chris Finch said: "This is a culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people over the last three summers and a lot of commitment and sacrifice, and it's always nice that you can be rewarded for that.”

British Basketball had to pay a $500,000 insurance premium in order to get the NBA’s permission for Deng to play.

Deng is looking forward to playing in the finals in Poland next summer. "Three years ago we weren't anywhere, nobody knew about us, so to win the group even though no one gave us a chance, and going through, is a great feeling," he said.

Written by Steven Downes

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