Former cox to head British Olympic Association

In 1980 he coxed the British men’s eight to silver at Moscow. Today he heads the most powerful sporting body in Great Britain. Lord Colin Moynihan was yesterday elected as chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA).

As Great Britain continues to prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Lord Moynihan, 50, will be at the forefront of Great Britain sporting decisions as part of a team of four that make up the powerful Olympic Board for 2012.

Already Moynihan has spoken out setting a target for Great Britain finishing fourth in the overall medals table at the 2012 Games. At Athens they finished tenth. Moynihan also wants to see the British team grow from 270 members (at Athens) to more than 700 in London. 

Moynihan is currently a member of London Rowing Club where FISA treasurer Mike Williams is president. Williams remembers Moynihan’s 1980 Olympic race: ?In the final his rudder lines broke and he steered for much of the race by reaching behind him and holding the top of the rudder.?

?He is a larger than life personality,? says Williams, ?despite being the size of a typical coxswain.?

Moynihan was also involved in rowing while he attended Oxford University successfully coxing the Oxford boat in the 1977 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race.

He was elected as a member of parliament in 1983 at just 27 years old and four years later became the minister of sport under Margaret Thatcher’s government. During this time he was given the nickname ?miniature for sport.?

Related Links
FISA’s Oswald to Chair 2012 Coordination Commission

The World Rowing team values feedback.