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

73 The BAAB goes bust numbers of votes held. Furthermore, the individual Council members might be personally liable for the debts as the BAAB did not enjoy the protection of limited liability as did the AAA. A financial demand of this order would have placed some of the member associations into real financial trouble and the AAA recognised this. It was also conscious that it might not be forgiven if it allowed the BAAB and possibly the smaller Celtic associations to become bankrupt if it escaped relatively unscathed. There was also the worry of the knock on consequences with the TV and marketing contracts to which the BAAB was a party and which were crucially important to the AAA itself and the rest of the sport in Britain. The AAA decided that it would have to shoulder most, if not all, of the burden and decided to propose that each of the BAAB members be asked to make a nominal contribution to the deficit and that the AAA would pick up the balance. This would avert a bankruptcy of the BAAB but, in return for this, the AAA would take over the BAAB’s affairs and demand additional votes in order to have the power to manage effectively. Two formal steps were the needed; a decision of the Council of the BAAB and a formal ratification of the constitutional implications at an EGM. The BAAB Council meeting, held on 12 September 1987, was a tense affair as much was at stake. The AAA was represented by Chairman Bill Ferguson and Treasurer John Lister together with General Secretary Mike Farrell, David Bedford (South), Roy Mitchell (Midlands) and Charles Rice (North). The Women’s AAA was represented by Norma Blaine, Jill Lindsay, and Margaret Oakley; Scottish AAA by John Brown, Bob Greenoak and John Hamilton; Scottish Women’s AAA by Irene Docherty; Northern Ireland AAA by John Allen and Les Jones; Northern Ireland Women’s AAA by Hilda O’Neill; Welsh AAA by Bill Evans and Hedydd Davies; and Welsh Women’s AAA by Margaret Elgie. Chairman Ewan Murray and Treasurer Mike Turner completed the voting members. Also in attendance were Life Vice Presidents Sir Arthur Gold, Arthur McAllister and Robert Stinson; two representatives of the international athletes, Joyce Smith and Mike Winch; and professional staff members Nigel Cooper (General Secretary), Mary Tupholme (Cooper’s deputy), Frank Dick (Coaching Director), John Le Masurier (senior national coach), Conrad Milton (athletes’ trust fund manager), Andy Norman (promotions officer) and Tony Ward (press officer).