As we head into another uncertain Covid period, I wanted to take this opportunity to recognise and thank everyone for the huge amount of work put in by everyone to keep our sport going over the last year. All of us have had to adjust to the difficult circumstances we have faced, whether that be our athletes, coaches, officials, event organisers, club volunteers, staff and administrators. The fact we have been able to see all areas of the sport back up and operating is a great credit to everyone, and it has been encouraging to see people returning to our clubs and our competitions in all parts of the country. Our partners at the Home Country Federations also deserve a huge amount of credit for the work they have done in developing the sport, and I am pleased to see the positive way that the five governing bodies are now working together for the benefit of athletics as a whole.

The preparations for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were not easy for anyone involved, and as ever there were some highs and lows when it came to the competition itself. I would like to congratulate not only our medallists, but every athlete who was selected, along with each and every person who played a part in each athlete’s support and development over many years. I would also like to congratulate our officials who were selected. I think we sometimes lose sight of what an outstanding achievement it is to represent our country at this level. The Olympics and Paralympics are the pinnacle of our sport, with every nation in the world taking part, and those who reach that level are part of a very select group. Well done too to everyone selected for any GB & NI team over the year, in any discipline. The range of our sport is one of the factors that makes it unique: over the course of a year we select athletes to represent the country in a wide range of disciplines, whether on the track, field, roads, country, hills or trails. To be selected to represent the country, in any discipline or capacity, is a wonderful achievement.

I am incredibly excited about 2022. Having three championships so close together in the summer, hopefully followed by a para world championship, will give us a great opportunity to showcase athletics to the world. It will of course present a number of challenges for our athletes and coaches in terms of planning their season, but also significant opportunities. I can’t wait to see how it all works out.

I mentioned earlier the importance of partnership working in the context of the Home Country Federations, but there are many other partnerships that I would like to recognise as an important part of the athletics landscape. That includes organisations such as UK Sport, Nike, Muller, Daily Mile, London Marathon Events, World Athletics, European Athletics, the home countries sports councils along with many others who work closely with us. I would like to thank them all for their significant support and look forward to working closely with them in the years ahead.

I would like also like to thank everyone in the sport for the huge amount of support they have given me since I took up the Chair role in October. We all have important roles to play and if we all work together, for the benefit of the sport as a whole and in a spirit of mutual respect, I am confident that we can achieve great things.

Thank you to everyone for your contribution. I wish you and your families best wishes for Christmas, and a successful and prosperous 2022.

Ian