UK Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for overseeing the governance of athletics events in the UK as well as athletes, their development, and athletics officials.
UK Athletics (UKA) was founded in 1999 as a successor to the British Athletics Federation, which had collapsed for financial reasons. Prominent among the reasons was the cost of the legal bills in the Diane Modahl contract dispute case.
Businessman Ed Warner was named as the inaugural chairman, Niels de Vos is the current chief executive and Lynn Davies, the former Olympic champion long jumper, is the incumbent president. Charles van Commenee was made the head coach of UKA's Olympic Programme in September 2008. Shortly afterwards Peter Eriksson was appointed head coach of the Paralympic Programme.
Following Great Britain's worst performance at a European Athletics Championships for twenty years, CEO and former long distance runner David Moorcroft stepped down from his position at UK Athletics: "I am convinced that I am taking the right decision at the right time." The results in Gothenburg (their sole gold medal coming in the 100 m relay) were below expectations and failed to meet the target for improving British athletics in lieu of the upcoming 2012 London Olympics.
It has four member organisations from each of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom: England Athletics, Scottishathletics, Welsh Athletics, and Athletics Northern Ireland.
The principal sponsor of the organisation is Aviva.