Athletics Ireland chief Coghlan leaves role

MARY COGHLAN is no longer chief executive of Athletics Ireland, the association confirmed yesterday.

There had been a strained relationship between Coghlan and the association for many months and numerous questions were asked about the situation when Liam Hennessy, president of the Athletic Association of Ireland, appeared before an Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs last week.

The chief executive’s position was discussed at a board meeting on Thursday night when a vote was taken on the matter.

Yesterday the association issued a brief statement: “Athletics Ireland can confirm that Mary Coghlan is no longer chief executive of the association. The process to identify and recruit her replacement will commence in the near future.”

Coghlan is a former chair of Finance and Risk and after the first chief executive of the association, Brendan Hackett, resigned in May 2008 and the position was advertised, she was appointed.

Hackett had been two and a half years in the job during which time he oversaw many of the changes required under the new structure.