Olympic winner gets OCI post

OLYMPIC gold medallist Dr Steven Martin, MBE, has been appointed Chief Executive of the Olympic Council of Ireland.

Dr Martin, a Belfast native, was a member of the British hockey team that won the gold medal at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

For the past seven years he has been Deputy CEO of the British Olympic Association and head of their Performance Unit covering athlete services, the Olympic Medical Institute and Medical Department.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity of working in partnership with the Irish governing bodies, the Sports Council and other agencies to develop a world class performance system for Irish sport in order to maximise the potential for Irish athletes and prepare them for the unique challenges of competing at the Olympic Games,” he said yesterday.

OCI President Pat Hickey said they were thrilled with the appointment.