BOA reacts to New Year's Honours

BOA reacts to New Year's Honours

Following a record-breaking year for Team GB, Olympic athletes have once again been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list. The list of awards includes a knighthood for Mo Farah for services to athletics; a knighthood for Andy Murray for services to tennis and charity; a damehood for Katherine Grainger, the first female Olympian to win five medals at five games, for services to rowing and charity; and a damehood for Jessica Ennis-Hill for services to athletics. In addition, the British Olympic Association’s Mark England and Paul Ford have been awarded an OBE and MBE respectively.

England led the whole 366-strong athlete delegation in Rio as Chef de Mission with Team GB becoming the first nation to win more medals at the Games immediately after hosting with 67 bettering the 65 won at London 2012.

Ford headed up Team GB’s pre-Games preparation camp in Belo Horizonte which hosted 164 athletes across 14 sports in world-class facilities prior to their arrival in Rio.

Sir Hugh Robertson, Chairman of the BOA said: "2016 has been a remarkable and truly memorable year for Team GB and Olympic sport in the United Kingdom. To end on such a high with the Olympians recognised in the highest possible manner is testament to their historic achievements.

"As well as the athletes, it is also of great pride to the British Olympic Association to see both Mark England, as Team GB’s Chef de Mission and Paul Ford, as Prep-camp Manager, receive Honours for their work this year in leading the delegation as a whole and our pre-Games preparation camp respectively.

"Their efforts, along with the wider team behind the team, played a crucial role in Team GB’s success in Rio and these accolades are richly deserved."

Bill Sweeney, CEO of the BOA said: "We have become an Olympic powerhouse in recent years and that is in no small part to the considerable talent and effort exuded by these athletes who continue to unite and inspire the nation. Their presence in the New Year’s Honours is fantastic to see following the record-breaking success of Rio 2016.

"In Mark England and Paul Ford, the British Olympic Association has two individuals who have committed six years to the Rio project and help develop world-leading environments for Team GB’s athletes to compete at their very best when it matters most. There is a first class team behind our athletes and it’s great to see two of these quite rightly recognised."

LIST OF RIO 2016 OLYMPIANS AND BOA STAFF ON THE LIST WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE HONOURS

Knighthoods: Mo Farah, Andy Murray

Damehoods: Jessica Ennis-Hill, Katherine Grainger

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE): Charlotte Dujardin, Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny, Nick Skelton

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE): Nicola Adams, Ed Clancy, Mark England (Team GB Chef de Mission, Rio 2016), Peter Reed, Kate Richardson-Walsh, Andrew Triggs-Hodge

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE): Giselle Ansley, Katie Archibald, Elinor Barker, Paul Bennett, Sophie Bray, Saskia Clark, Joe Clarke, Crista Cullen, Alex Danson, Owain Doull, Scott Durant, Dr Paul Ford (Pre-Games Manager, British Olympic Association), Matthew Gotrel, Liam Heath, Maddie Hinch, Phelan Hill, Matthew Langridge, Jack Laugher, Constantine Louloudis, Hannah MacLeod, Shona McCallin, Chris Mears, Hannah Mills, George Nash, Lily Owsley, Adam Peaty, Samantha Quek, Thomas Ransley, Helen Richardson-Walsh, Justin Rose, William Satch, Mo Sbihi, Giles Scott, Susannah Townsend, Georgie Twigg, Laura Unsworth, Hollie Webb, Nicola White, Max Whitlock,

ENDS

For further information please contact BOA Communications Manager Laura Meech - laura.meech@teamgb.com

About the BOA

The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its mission is to develop, promote and protect the Olympic Movement in our territory in accordance with the Olympic Charter. The BOA achieves this through:

Working in partnership with our members and key stakeholders to deliver world-leading services and support to enable British athletes to reach their full potential at the Olympic Games, Olympic Winter Games and other IOC-sanctioned events

Working in partnership with our members and key stakeholders to provide athletes with relevant support on the journey to, during and following their Olympic careers

Engaging people throughout the United Kingdom to pursue their very own goals and dreams through the Olympic Values and the example of Team GB Olympians

Being the independent voice of Olympic Sport and collaborating with our members and other sport stakeholders, both domestically and internationally, to support the continued growth and overall health of the Olympic Movement in the UK

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