Dina Asher-Smith takes aim at UK Athletics in series of stinging social media posts

Dina Asher-Smith takes aim at UK Athletics in series of stinging posts over how the sport is run… with world champion insisting ‘so much needs to change with track and field’ and calling for more support for coaches

  • British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith has slammed UK Athletics in a number of posts 
  • World champion Asher-Smith’s criticisms began with the absence of the TV deal 
  • Writing on Twitter, she also said ‘so much’ change is needed in track and field 

Dina Asher-Smith has levelled a number of criticisms at the way athletics is showcased and run in this country.

The 200m world champion appeared to take aim partially at UK Athletics in a series of stinging tweets on Tuesday, starting with the governing body’s well-documented absence of a television deal after the expiration of their lucrative arrangement with the BBC.

This weekend’s Olympic trials will only be broadcast via a stream on the UKA website, prompting Asher-Smith to tweet: ‘The “powers that be” need to make this happen. Heaps of internal changes for us athletes in an Olympic year and now this.’

Dina Asher-Smith has levelled a series of criticisms at UK Athletics over the way the sport is run

Asher-Smith highlighted the lack of a television deal after UKA's terms with the BBC expired

Asher-Smith highlighted the lack of a television deal after UKA’s terms with the BBC expired

She added: ‘So much needs to change with track and field over here. So much. The way we tell our narratives, the tone, the atmosphere, fan engagement, event structure and cohesion… So, so much. 

‘Athletes need to feel comfortable enough to be themselves. I’ll do it. But gotta focus on myself a bit first. A girl has dreams to fulfill.’

In pointing to the number of British athletes who have left the system to train abroad, she said: ‘(there needs to be more) support for coaches to succeed and grow, so the young athletes don’t feel like they have to go abroad to get the expertise they want.’

Asher-Smith, the 200m world champion, took aim in the series of stinging tweets on Tuesday

Asher-Smith, the 200m world champion, took aim in the series of stinging tweets on Tuesday



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