Paralympicsgb Rio 2016 Team Takes Shape
The British Paralympic Association has revealed the ParalympicsGB leadership team, led by Tim Reddish and Penny Briscoe, with the familiar structure utilised at London 2012 and Sochi 2014 also implemented for Rio 2016.
Reddish (pictured) will be President and head of delegation, with Briscoe – the BPA’s director of sport – named as the team’s Chef de Mission.
As Chef de Mission, Briscoe will be responsible for all aspects of the ParalympicsGB team in the build-up to and during the Rio Paralympic Games.
Meanwhile Hollingsworth will once again take up the position of Secretary General, which he held at both London 2012 and Sochi 2014, and is responsible for all aspects of ParalympicsGB’s presence at the Games off the field of play, including partner support, stakeholder and international relations.
Rio 2016 will be the third Paralympic Games for which the BPA’s senior management will be split between those ‘facing inward’ with responsibility for the sport and those ‘facing outward’ with responsibility for the business side.
Hollingsworth said: ‘I am delighted today to be able to announce Penny Briscoe as Chef de Mission for ParalympicsGB at Rio 2016, alongside other key members of the senior leadership team. Penny has the perfect experience, expertise and passion for the role and she will bring all of this to bear over the coming two years. We are lucky to have her on our team.’
‘The separation again of leadership for Rio is also the right approach. In both London 2012 and earlier this year in Sochi, we saw the benefit of dividing our expertise between two senior management teams: one of which is highly sport-focussed, athlete-centred work and is responsible for delivering on our mission on the field of play and one of which is responsible for ensuring that the BPA remains a leading nation in the Paralympic movement.’
‘The two areas are quite different and our experience at the last two Games demonstrates that it is absolutely right to keep them separate.’
In her first appointment as Chef de Mission, for Sochi 2014, Briscoe was at the head of the most successful ParalympicsGB winter team ever, bringing home a total of six medals including the first ever Olympic or Paralympic gold medal on snow.
Working with Reddish and Hollingsworth in the President and Secretary General team, will be BPA director of marketing and communications Jane Jones who will take on the role of Deputy Secretary General.
Briscoe will be well supported as Chef de Mission, with David Courell, Director of Operational Delivery at the BPA, and Georgina Sharples, Senior Performance Manager at the BPA, both appointed as Deputy Chef de Missions. The senior leadership team is completed by Chief Medical Officer Dr Stuart Miller and Chief Press Officer Tash Carpenter. All four fulfilled these roles at Sochi 2014, showing the continuity of experience that ParalympicsGB is now able to enjoy.
On her appointment, Briscoe added: ‘It is an absolute honour to take up the position of Chef de Mission for ParalympicsGB at Rio 2016. Rio will be a very different Games from London with around 80% of our Team competing at their first ‘away Games’ but I am confident that we are preparing well for both the challenges and opportunities.’
‘We have experience in key roles and talent throughout the team; an exciting blend which will, I believe, will provide the most cohesive support framework ever for ParalympicsGB. I am delighted to be offered the opportunity to lead the team in Rio and will be working hard alongside my colleagues to ensure we are best prepared to thrive in the Games environment.’
The announcement comes with just under two years to go to the Rio Paralympic Games.
