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14 Oct 2009 09:25:31
The new Professor of Sport at the University is already putting Bedfordshire on the map.
John Brewer has been elected to the National Olympic Committee as the representative of the British Handball Association of which he is the chairman.
Professor Brewer said: “It’s prestigious and important for the University because it will help me make contacts within the world of elite sport that will be advantageous to Bedfordshire. It clearly enables me to raise of the profile of the University.”
Nominated by the British Handball Association, Professor Brewer said: “It’s an honour and I will be trying to influence strategic policy, as well as things like the selection process and criteria for Great Britain teams.”
He became the association’s chairman in May and said: “I’m really looking forward to it and we’re all on a journey to 2012. I’m running a sport that is in the 2012 Olympics and that’s a really exciting prospect.”
The National Olympic Committee (NOC) for Great Britain and Northern Ireland is called the British Olympic Association (BOA) and has the Queen as patron and The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) as president and IOC member.
Its members include the 33 national governing bodies of each Olympic sport, both summer and winter.
Lord (Colin) Moynihan is chairman, while Sir Steve Redgrave CBE is among the high-profile vice-presidents, and others also involved include fellow oarsman Sir Matthew Pinsent CBE and swimmer Karen Pickering.
The BOA is one of 205 NOC’s currently recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
His first of the bi-monthly meetings is later this month where he will meet Princess Anne among others.
And as well as the 2012 summer Games in London, there are also the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, which he will be involved in.
Professor Brewer said: “As a passionate skier myself, I’m equally, if not more, excited about these Games.”
He was previously Head of Sport Science at the Football Association from 1988-1993 and then he became Director of the National Sports Injury and Human Performance Centre at Lilleshall for 11 years (1993-2004).
Professor Brewer had been Director of Sport Science and Communications at GlaxoSmithKline, working within the Lucozade Sport brand, for the last five years.
He started as Professor of Sport at the University in September and is based in the new Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences.
Latest news» 2009» October» John's a Handy man to have on National Olympic Committee
