Having been appointed CEO of the British Elite Athletes Association, triple Olympic medallist Kelly Sotherton MBE stressed her desire to meet and work with stakeholders for the benefit of BEAA members.
Kelly starts with the association in December, taking over from Anna Watkins MBE. She brings with her experience from a decade-long international sporting career and from several accomplishments outside of competition, namely founding British Athletics’ Athletes’ Commission; acting as Team England’s Athletics Team Leader at the 2022 Commonwealth Games; coaching in cricket, rugby, and track and field; and holding the role of Talent Coach Development Manager at Sport England.
“I want everyone to have an opportunity to see where we’re going,” Kelly explained. “My first 90 days is about getting to know my stakeholders and who I’m working with. First of all it’s about people and ensuring everyone is comfortable with me. It’ll be bedding down, then in springtime we can start putting our foot on the accelerator and moving forward into the next cycle.
“My number one aim is for new people to jump on board and really support the organisation.”
Having competed at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, and been a double world medallist and Commonwealth Games champion, Kelly’s career primarily in heptathlon took her to the top of sport. There, she says, the importance of support and representation stand out.
“As an athlete I always wanted things to be better for me. This is what I’m passionate about: to ensure that throughout the system there’s greater integrity, that it’s honest and open. I’m with the association but it’s about the whole system. How do we ensure athletes – who achieve their goals or don’t – have a greater journey, and that the system has a positive impact on their life?”
Having made her Olympic debut the same year the BEAA was founded – as the British Athletes Commission in 2004 – Kelly stresses the importance of having a strong representative acting in the athletes’ interest.
Today, she says, the BEAA performs that role across sport.
“Since 2016/17 the sporting system has changed quite considerably around health and wellbeing, predominantly the athletes’. They can amplify their voice more. To see the BEAA grow, especially in a positive sense since the Whyte Review, has put the association more firmly on the map.
“If an athlete is funded by an organisation and they have a concern, whether that’s to do with someone specifically or a process or policy, they want to be able to air their view in a safe space without reprisal. We’re independent, so I see our role as mediation: how do we listen and offer sound, independent advice that’s fair?”
