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

56 BAF is born and missed the opportunity during the period from March 1991 to involve the senior professional staff in any of its discussions. This omission strained relationships with the staff who, understandably, were unsure of their own positions within the new organisation. Belatedly, the staff was brought up to date but some damage was done and it did not augur well for the future. A Chief Executive, rather than a General Secretary, had been suggested as long ago as 1968 and it was hoped that the appointment would represent a shift to a more modern, streamlined organisation with direct line responsibility for the professional staff. This would represent a huge change of culture as, hitherto, even within what had, in practice, already become a single enterprise as a result of the AAA’s caretakership, the Director of Coaching was responsible to the BAAB chairman, the Promotions Officer to the Joint Standing Committee, the Financial Controller to the Honorary Treasurer, and the General Secretary to the AAA General Committee. In other words, it was a mess that badly needed sorting out. With the sport now turning in profits, the bill for corporation tax had also been mounting and in the two years 1989 and 1990, no less than £900,000 was taken by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in corporation tax. A more tax efficient way of managing the finances was needed to mitigate this heavy drain of monies that could otherwise be invested within the sport. As part of the planned formation of the BAF, a charitable foundation, the British Athletic Foundation, was registered. The Federation and the Foundation would work closely together, with the foundation taking on many of the qualifying developmental programmes for the sport. The Foundation was to be funded by the Federation and any surplus profits could also be paid over to the Foundation and thus save the corporation tax that would otherwise be payable by the BAF. This was a completely legal and efficient way of managing the finances of the BAF and was copied by the AAA of England which established its own charity, Athletics for the Young. The end (or, rather, the beginning) was, however, in sight and the BAF duly opened for business on 1 st October 1991. The new BAF Council held its first meeting in Birmingham on 6 th October 1991 with 47 persons present and the first officers were appointed: