Brendan Foster Added To 2022 Birmingham Bid Team

Commonwealth Champion and legendary long-distance athlete, Brendan Foster CBE, is today announced as the latest addition to the Birmingham 2022 Bid team.

As an Olympic bronze medallist and Commonwealth Champion, in the 10,000m in Edmonton, Foster brings valuable insight from an elite athlete’s perspective. His contribution is further enhanced by his sports business expertise gained from founding and managing the successful mass-participation sports event company, Great Run.

It is Great Run’s involvement with the city of Birmingham, helping to build its reputation as the City of Running, that has endeared Birmingham to Foster and helped cement his support. Foster and Great Run have been responsible for the Great Birmingham Run, Great Birmingham 10k and this autumn’s inaugural Birmingham International Marathon.

Foster will shortly be hanging up the microphone as part of his role on the BBC Sport commentary team. This summer’s London 2017 IAAF World Championship will be his last major athletics event, meaning he has more time to back Birmingham’s bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Brendan Foster CBE, Olympic medallist, Commonwealth Champion and Founder of the Great Run Company, said: “When Ian Ward invited me to join the Birmingham 2022 Bid team I was delighted to accept.

“Birmingham is an ambitious, vibrant city with a great sporting heritage and I believe the ideal location to host such a prestigious global event.”

“Our company has a strong relationship with Birmingham through organising Great Run events in recent years and in October we’ll be staging the first marathon in the city for 28 years.”

Ian Ward, Deputy Leader Birmingham City Council and Chair, Birmingham Commonwealth Games Steering Group, said: “We are thrilled that Brendan is joining our team to help secure the Commonwealth Games for Birmingham.

“His knowledge, both as a former athlete and as a business professional, will be a boost to our efforts. In recent years, with the Great Birmingham Run and the forthcoming Birmingham International Marathon in October, we have worked closely with Brendan and his team and have seen them deliver some outstanding events for the city.

“We have a strong team working hard to bring the Games to Birmingham. With 95% of our venues already available, combined with our expertise at delivering world class sporting events, and our position as heart of the UK, soul of the Commonwealth, we are in a good position. The more support we can get the better.”