Incoming UK athletics chief loses role over safeguarding issue

ZARA Hyde Peters will not take up a position as chief executive of UK Athletics following reports related to a safeguarding issue.

Hyde Peters had been due to start work as the governing body’s new boss on December 1 but UKA chairman Chris Clark says that will not happen now. A report in the Times newspaper alleged that Hyde Peters’ husband, Mike Peters, was allowed to continue as a coach at Coventry Godiva Harriers despite being banned from teaching for an “inappropriate relationship” with a 15-year-old schoolgirl.

Hyde Peters, whose appointment by UKA was announced in August, had been vice-chair of Coventry Godiva Harriers at the time.

A brief statement from UKA chair Clark read: “Following recent press reports and significant media attention focused on Zara Hyde Peters the UKA Board convened a meeting this past Sunday 24th November and discussed the situation fully.

“Following the meeting I had time with Zara to review the situation and we have agreed together, that she will now not be taking up her position as CEO on 1st December.”

The Times has claimed that although Hyde Peters knew her husband had been permanently barred from teaching in October 2012,

he was allowed to carry on in his role as coach at Coventry Godiva Harriers between 2012 and 2017.

Peters was banned from teaching PE after being found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct following an “inappropriate relationship” at Bilton School in Rugby between 2004 and 2005. He was cleared of sexual misconduct.

Funding body UK Sport released a statement which read: “We acknowledge the announcement from UK Athletics today regarding Zara Hyde Peters.

“Maintaining the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct is crucial to the integrity of sport.

“We will be seeking a face-toface meeting with UK Athletics at the earliest opportunity to discuss next steps.”

The news regarding Hyde Peters comes soon after the decision by performance director Neil Black to stand down at the end of October.

Black reviewed his position after the US Anti-Doping Agency handed a four-year ban to Sir Mo Farah’s former coach Alberto Salazar over doping violations. USADA’s investigation into Salazar began in 2015 and at that point UKA reviewed Farah’s links with the American coach and allowed the relationship to continue. There has never been any accusation of wrongdoing made against the four-time Olympic champion.

Farah said after Salazar’s ban was announced that he had “no tolerance for anyone who breaks the rules.”