Dame Denise Lewis is set to continue as a pundit for BBC Sport despite concerns that her integrity could be compromised now that she is the president of UK Athletics.
While the BBC has refused to confirm if the former Olympic heptathlon champion will be working for the broadcaster at next week’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, The Times understands she has been accredited and is expected to be in the studio for the event.
But sources have also said that the involvement of Lewis, 51, comes only after detailed discussions on the matter between BBC Sport executives and her representatives at M&C Saatchi Merlin.
The agency also declined to respond when asked if Lewis would be working for the corporation in Glasgow, with a statement from a BBC spokesman saying only that they “don’t comment on individual contracts”.
Lewis was elected as president of UKA in December, with the organisation still facing some serious financial challenges caused, to a large extent, by a significant reduction in revenue from sponsors and organisations such as the BBC. Last year UKA announced annual losses of £3.7 million, with the London Diamond League in July losing close to £500,000.
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The president of UKA is seen largely as a ceremonial role, with the chief executive Jack Buckner and chairman Ian Beattie the principal leaders of the governing body. But the president is remunerated at the same level as non-executive board members and chairs the UKA members’ board.
That committee, which includes a representative from each of the four national associations as well as representatives from clubs, coaches and officials, is described by UKA as having “a key role in providing high level input on the vision and direction” of the organisation. Members are consulted on strategy and used as a “sounding board” for the UKA leadership, ensuring that policies are “endorsed by the sport as a whole”.
BBC Sport has not responded to the specific question of whether Lewis’s role at UKA would compromise her integrity as a pundit and, potentially, its editorial policies.
These lines have been blurred in the past, with Dame Katherine Grainger temporarily relinquishing her main duties as chairman of UK Sport to work in the BBC commentary box for the rowing events at the Olympic Games in Tokyo three years ago.
World Indoor Athletics Championships
Friday March 1 – Sunday March 3, Glasgow
