UK Athletics tell staff to prepare for wide scale redundancies due to reduced broadcasting deal

A significant number of their workforce, which numbers around 100, are expected to leave at the end of a consultation process which began on Wednesday and will run until October 14.

The measures come as UKA face up to the cost of their weakened broadcasting situation. The weekend’s national championships was the last event on a deal with the BBC that was worth upwards of £2million a year. 

While renewal talks with the BBC are ongoing and dialogue has started with at least two other broadcasters, the figures are at a vastly reduced rate, with the knock-on effect that UKA CEO Joanna Coates has admitted they could be forced cut loose one or both of Britain’s two Diamond League events to make ends meet.

Coates has now notified staff that personnel cuts will be forthcoming. In a statement on Wednesday she said: ‘This announcement today is difficult news for some but also essential for the health of the sport moving forwards.

‘There are a number of factors that have meant we need to reduce our head count, not being able to stage our biggest events this summer will obviously have had a significant financial impact as will the changing face of our broadcast arrangements.

‘But it’s important to note that regardless of these issues the business would still have seen a lot of changes take place at this time. As a sport we are rebuilding, and I have often used the term needing a “rewire”. Whilst change can be incredibly difficult, it is also an opportunity for us to ensure we are a healthy governing body, with a long-term strategy delivering successfully through to 2032.’

Britain’s Mo Farah (L) competes with Belgium’s Bashir Abdi at the Diamond League in Brussels