Lord Moynihan stands down to make way for a new Chair to take us towards Sochi and beyond and announces the new BSS Consitution

Covering Letter from Colin Moynhan

Two years on from the collapse of Snowsport GB which occurred on the eve of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver 2012, the Board of Directors of the new Governing Body, British Ski & Snowboard, has now completed the biggest consultation exercise in the history of snowsports in this nation and approved a new Constitution which has been unanimously adopted by the Board. This is an essential step towards meeting the necessary governance requirements for UK Sport to continue lottery funding for the best of our athletes in the run-up to Sochi, a process on which we are already engaged. We are grateful for the contribution and expertise they have provided and their decision to fund our most promising athletes.

I would like first to thank those who have worked so hard as members of the existing Board of Directors. They have worked effectively as a strong team with senior representatives from all the FIS Disciplines, the Home Nations and the Athletes. Their combined contribution has been a showcase for governing bodies of sport. Work will now continue to put in place the policies and procedures necessary to deliver a full range of support services to our athletes on their journey towards Sochi 2014 and beyond.  Additionally we will take the opportunity to hold further discussions with all the Home Nations to maximise the supportive role that they can play for Team BSS.

Adopting the Constitution moves us forward from a two year interim stage when the Board has been self-appointed to a new era of accountability, transparency and strong governance. Above all we have addressed the need to move from a principally Alpine organisation to reflect the aspirations of all the Olympic disciplines – to include cross-country; snowboarding; freestyle and Alpine;  and we have intentionally addressed the conflicts of interest which have beset our sport in the past. Of course the Constitution will need to be reviewed and amended in years to come to reflect future developments and the membership will have the opportunity to propose and vote to adopt changes at the future Annual Meetings.

I promised that after the end of last season I would stand down to make way for a new Chair who could take us towards Sochi and beyond. As a result we are today publishing the criteria to select a new Chair and Non-Executive Directors. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to lead the organisation through the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck and see the early development of what should be one of our most successful teams ever to be sent to a Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. We are now truly athlete-centric, performance driven and accountable to our athletes and the wider community of volunteers who support all the disciplines we represent.

In closing I would like to thank the British Olympic Association, our International Federation FIS, UK Sport, a wide number of National Ski Federations, the Home Nations, the Sport & Recreation Alliance and Hugh Robertson MP, Minister for Sport & the Olympics for their invaluable advice and support. All our athletes in all the FIS disciplines, the FIS licence-holders from Scotland, England and Wales, are now members of BSS. Over the coming months we will be launching the membership schemes for individuals, clubs, academies, volunteers and Home Nations to join us in a Governing Body which gives prominence to all the disciplines we represent – disciplines which contribute over 50% of all the medals on offer at a Winter Olympic Games. Better Never Stops!

Best wishes,

Colin Moynihan

Chair

for the constitution document click here