Commonwealth Games England has today (Thursday 12 November) announced the formation of an Athlete Advisory Group, created to ensure Team England’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022 are athlete-centred and performance-driven.
The Athlete Advisory Group will be chaired by Commonwealth and Olympic champion and Commonwealth Games England President, Denise Lewis OBE and comprises of eight other leading athletes from a range of Commonwealth sports and backgrounds.
Members of the Team England Athlete Advisory Group:
- Denise Lewis OBE, Chair – Commonwealth Games England President
- Aimee Willmott, Vice Chair – Swimming, Commonwealth Games England Board member
- Ali Jawad – Three time Paralympian and Commonwealth, Paralympic and World medallist – Para Powerlifting, Commonwealth Games England Board member
- Alice Tai MBE – Reigning Commonwealth and Olympic champion – Para Swimming
- Alistair Brownlee MBE – Two-time Commonwealth Gold medallist, double Olympic champion and four time World champion – Triathlon
- Ama Agbeze – Two-time Commonwealth Games medallist including Gold as part of the Team England squad in 2018 – Netball, Commonwealth Games England Board member
- Amy Jones – England cricketer and first choice wicket-keeper – Cricket
- Anyika Onuora – Former sprinter and Olympic, Commonwealth, World and European medallist – Athletics
- Declan James – Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games medallist – Squash
The Athlete Advisory Group is a highly experienced collection of English athletes who will discuss a wide range of opportunities and challenges facing the delivery of the host team, and will work with Commonwealth Games England to ensure the best experience possible for athletes.
The group will meet each quarter to discuss and approve a range of issues, including kit design, ‘look and feel’ of satellite sites and athlete spaces, performance services and the Team England Futures Programme for aspiring young athletes.
Speaking about the group’s formation, Team England’s Chef de Mission, Mark England OBE, said:
“It is so important that the views of athletes are front and centre in our planning and delivery of the Games, so I’m thrilled that we’ve formed this Athlete Advisory Group. Everyone involved brings relevant experience and insight and I’m looking forward to working closely with this group of athletes to deliver the best experience possible for Team England. I’m confident it will be a terrific Games for everyone involved.”
On his selection to the group, Alistair Brownlee MBE said:
“It’s a real honour to be selected to play this pivotal role in the lead up to a home Games. I hope I can use my insight to help make and shape the experience of the Commonwealth Games for Team England. I want to ensure athletes have the best performance experience but also the experience of being part of Team England, something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.”
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth champion, Alice Tai MBE added:
“It’s my absolute honour to be named on the Athlete Advisory Group ahead of Birmingham 2022. It allows me to share athletes’ voices and opinions around the Games – hopefully I can make someone’s first Games as special as mine were and help make those amazing memories for them.”
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