Athletics in the UK: The Rise and Fall of the BAF

14 THE TURNER COMMITTEE On 6 th November 1982, the General Committee of the AAA had appointed the members of the committee “ to find ways and means of implementing the [1982 AGM] resolution that athletics in the United Kingdom be administered by a single governing body ”. In typical fashion the committee was composed of representatives of the constituent area associations of the AAA plus others and a chairman. The chairman, Mike Turner, was a don at Cambridge University, lecturing on land economy. He had been a good international athlete, representing England at cross country on many occasions, and had also served on a number of AAA or BAAB committees or working groups. He brought a calm and quiet efficiency to the role and did a good job. Representing the Southern Counties AAA was Bill Lucas, a retired insurance broker and World War ll RAF veteran. Charles Rice had run the Northern Counties AA as Honorary Secretary since 1969 and David Cropper, a Civil Engineer specialising in highway construction and former Olympic level 800m runner, had been Honorary Treasurer of the Midland Counties AAA since 1975. The Welsh AAA was represented by Reg Snow, a civil servant, who was a former Welsh international sprinter and Welsh team manager. David Moorcroft, years later to be the first Chief Executive of UK Athletics, was a popular and distinguished international and Olympic athlete and the current holder of the 5,000m world record. Completing the committee were Roger and I (as we had led the campaign which had resulted in the setting up of the committee) and David Shaw, previously the General Secretary of the BAAB but who had resigned in frustration and was then working in television as the General Secretary of the ITV Association. Roger Simons was a construction industry manager and President of Shaftesbury Harriers and I was chairman of Cardiff AAC and a former Welsh International athlete; and, by profession, a chartered accountant.