New UK athletics chief shuns 'medals at all costs' mentality

New UK Athletics chief executive Joanna Coates insisted she does not want "medals at all costs" as she takes over the difficult role with the sport in turmoil.

UKAhasrecentlypublished the results of its independent review into the handling of Mo Farah's former coach Alberto Salazar, which prompted performancedirectorNeilBlackto leave his role last year - becoming one of a number of senior figures to do so in recent years.

Coates wants to restore trust in the UKA after a separate review by UK Sport was launched, adding: "The opportunitytochangeasportand make people proud of it again is something I couldn't resist."

She told the Sunday Telegraph: "The board has given me the remit to make changes toensurethisorganisationgets back to where it should be.

"What that team looks like that drives it forward, let's see.

“Therewillbemajorchange in the organisation, and that doesn't just mean people. That meanspolicy,procedures,how we liaise with other organisations."

Coates was chief executive of England Netball as the team won Commonwealth Games goldin2018butsheinsistssuccess in major competitions is just one part of her vision for the sport.

She said: "I wrote a list of what I wanted to achieve in the sport before I started and the big one at the top was that perception had changed.

"I do not want medals at all costs. I hope that Dina (AsherSmith) wins. I believe she will and we want her to. But it's about her story, her journey in athletics and what athletics can bring to anybody that participates. That's what it should be about."

*Lord Coe says the decision to postpone the 2020 TokyoOlympicsandParalympics hassavedathletesfrommental turmoil.TheGameshavebeen postponed until next year in a decision supported by Coe.

"We didn't want to have the athletes in a position where they were countering government advice, maybe even breaking the law," the World Athletics president said.

"And of course in the back of their minds was always that concern, it wasn't just their own training programme, but that they ran the risk of infecting themselves, their families, their kids, grandparents or parents. We just wanted to take them out of that mental turmoil as quickly as we possibly could. We're no different from everyone else out there but I think we just concluded that sport, on this occasion, had to take a back seat."