Sarah-Jane Perry, Katrina Hart, Alistair Brownlee, Sarah Davies, Jodie Gibson, and Tom Bosworth form advisory committee that will ensure Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has athletes’ needs at its heart

Today, Birmingham 2022 unveils the members of its newly formed Athletes’ Advisory Committee, a group of Team England stars who will play a crucial role in the planning and delivery of the Commonwealth Games over the next two and a half years.

The Committee has been formed to represent the interests of athletes and provide the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games organisers with expert advice and guidance. They will outline exactly what competing athletes want and need from the Games experience. Specifically, they will be advising on the provision of facilities within sporting venues and the Athletes’ Village, catering, accommodation, transportation, training venues, accessibility and ceremonies.

The committee includes triathlete Alistair Brownlee - Team England’s flag bearer from last year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Brownlee also won Commonwealth gold in 2014, in between his two Olympic triathlon titles, and has been chosen as Commonwealth Games England’s ex-officio member. He is joined on the committee by five other current athletes, including:

  • Gold medal para athlete Katrina Hart, who is a member of Birmingham’s biggest athletics club, Birchfield Harriers, and won gold in the T37 100m back in Delhi in 2010
  • Netballer Jodie Gibson, part of the England team who won gold in dramatic fashion in Australia last year
  • Racewalker Tom Bosworth, a silver medallist from Gold Coast 2018
  • Gold Coast silver medallist weightlifter Sarah Davies
  • Squash player Sarah-Jane Perry, who was born in Birmingham and is another silver medallist from Gold Coast 2018

The Athletes’ Advisory Committee will be chaired by Zara Hyde Peters from the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee Board, who will report back to the board and share the committee’s advice on how to create the best possible sporting experience for all participating athletes at Birmingham 2022.

Alistair Brownlee said: “I’m really pleased to be part of the Athletes’ Advisory Committee for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Having competed at two editions of the Commonwealth Games for Team England, as well as several World Championships and Olympic Games, I believe I’ve got a good knowledge of what facilities and support an athlete needs at a major sports event and I’ll be drawing on this to help ensure that we give competitors in Birmingham the best possible experience.

“I’m looking forward to working with the rest of the committee over the next few years and I’m passionate about helping to create the conditions that athletes need, so that they can compete to the best of their ability and enjoy their Commonwealth Games experience.”

Katrina Hart said: “It’s such an honour to have been selected to be part of the Athletes’ Advisory Committee and it’s fascinating to be able to see behind the scenes of a major sports event. I’m excited to be able to play a key role in ensuring that Birmingham 2022 is the best possible Games for all of the 4,500 athletes that will be taking part.

“This role is made even more special for me as I’m helping to organise an event which is taking place right on my door step, so I’m even more determined to help ensure the Games is a success.”

Zara Hyde Peters, said: “We’ve created a very strong Athletes’ Advisory Committee, with passionate and dedicated athletes who have already begun to make an excellent contribution towards helping us to organise the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. It is invaluable to have the insight of current athletes when organising the Games, as they’ve attended the most recent multi-sport events and have that fresh and very relevant experience to draw on.

“This committee also affords an opportunity for the athletes to see behind the scenes of a major games and to better understand the staging of the sports events in which they compete with such distinction.”

Paul Blanchard, Commonwealth Games England CEO, said: “It’s so great to have these athletes selected to represent their respective sports and all athletes on the Athletes’ Advisory Committee. All have the experience of not only competing but medalling at a Commonwealth Games and have incredible knowledge to draw back on. We’re proud to have nominated Alistair Brownlee as our ex-officio member and alongside the other talented athletes, their involvement is crucial to ensure an optimal environment for athletes to perform at their best.”

The Athletes’ Advisory Committee, whose members were nominated by their national governing body, before going through a selection process, is expected to meet at least three times a year with the next meeting due to take place in November.