By Tom Degun

boa 02-12-11December 2 - The British Olympic Association (BOA) National Olympic Committee (NOC) have elected six individuals to serve as National Governing Body (NGB) representatives on the BOA Board of Directors.


They are Di Ellis from British Rowing, Hew Chalmers from British Curling, Richard Leman from GB Hockey, David Sparkes from British Swimming, Sarah Treseder of the Royal Yachting Association and Niels de Vos from UK Athletics.

The elections took place during a meeting of the NOC at the BOA headquarters in central London where a report from Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson was given.

In addition, the NOC received updates on Team GB's preparations for the London 2012 Olympics, Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and the Innsbruck 2012 Youth Olympics, as well as the development of the BOA's Strategic Plan for 2013-2016 and the BOA Selection Policy for participation on Team GB.

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The meeting also saw 71-year-old Dr Elizabeth Ferris (pictured right), who won a bronze medal in the 3-metre springboard diving event at the Rome 1960 Olympics, presented with the inaugural BOA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ferris dedicated much of her life to the advancement of opportunities for women and girls in sport and after retiring as a professional athlete became renowned for her research and studies towards achieving gender equity in sport.

She is one of only two remaining original members of the influential International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Women in Sport Commission, which was founded in 1995.

The presentation of the award was made by current IOC member and BOA Board member the Princess Royal (pictured left).

"I am very proud to be honoured and hugely surprised to be the first person to be given this award," said Ferris.

"There were so many people who could have been given this award, and because of my work in women in sport over many years, to know the first award has gone to a woman is fantastic.

"Women are almost at parity at the Olympic Games in terms of the number of competitors, only just under half, but we've really made huge strides over the last 15 years in getting female athletes competing on an equal level at the Games.

"I hope winning this award will encourage girls in sport and show that women have an important role to play.

"It is hard work, you need a vision and a passion but if you have those things you can really do great things and make a difference."

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BOA chairman Colin Moynihan (pictured) hosted the presentation and praised Ferris' commitment and her importance to the global development of Olympic sport.

"Dr Liz Ferris has made a remarkable contribution to the British Olympic Family and indeed to the wider Olympic Movement," said Moynihan.

"She is well-known for her studies on women in sport and as a medical doctor; she is prolific in her sports medicine articles and views on anti-doping.

"Liz has dedicated her life to sport on and off the field of play."

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