Former Bath-based swimmer Lizzie Simmonds elected by peers as new Chair of the British Olympic Association Athletes’ Commission
Former University of Bath-based Olympic swimmer Lizzie Simmonds has been selected to be the new Chair of the British Olympic Association’s (BOA) Athletes’ Commission.
The double Olympian, who was part of the British Swimming National Centre Bath group based at the Team Bath Sports Training Village from 2012 to 2016, was elected to the role by Olympians sitting on the BOA’s Athletes’ Commission following a highly competitive process.
She will also become a full Board member of the BOA as an athletes’ representative, replacing the outgoing Ben Hawes who steps down after completing his final term having Chaired the Athletes’ Commission since 2015.
Currently Vice-Chair of the BOA Athletes’ Commission, Simmonds will shadow Hawes through the remainder of 2021 before starting her term as Chair in 2022.
“With the Tokyo and Beijing Games taking place in quick succession, and Paris 2024 on the horizon too, it’s an incredibly exciting time to be involved with British Olympic sport and I am thrilled to be continuing my journey with Team GB,” said Simmonds. “I look forward to working closely with the Athletes’ Commission, BOA Board and Leadership Teams to ensure that athlete perspective remains at the heart of decision-making across the organisation.”
Simmonds made her Olympic debut as a 17-year old in Beijing in 2008 and narrowly missed out on a medal at London 2021, finishing fourth in the 200m backstroke.
The British Olympic Association (BOA) Athletes’ Commission is a Committee of the BOA Board created to bring the perspective and expertise of athletes to the many initiatives and programmes operated by the BOA. It was formed in 2010 and meets every two months.
The Commission has 13 members in total, made up of a mixture of past and present athletes from team and individual, summer and winter sports. The Chair is responsible for feeding the views of the Commission back to the BOA Board. The Chair and Vice-Chair are also athlete representatives on the BOA’s National Olympic Committee (NOC).
