UKSI sends largest-ever support contingent to an away Games

Almost 140 people from across the UK Sports Institute (UKSI) are part of the Team GB and ParalympicsGB support teams for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.

UKSI people will be working side-by-side with counterparts from the other home nations sports institutes, Team GB and ParalympicsGB staff and those who work directly for a sport, ensuring sports and athletes will be surrounded by outstanding support teams as they compete on the world’s biggest stage.

Practitioners will be in post across a number of areas and locations, from HQ venues in Paris, the Olympic and Paralympic Villages and prep camps, to those travelling with a sport to provide frontline care to athletes.

More than 40 UKSI physiotherapists will be in Paris this summer, the largest UKSI contingent for the second Games running.

Following a successful debut for the Tokyo Games, Team GB’s Performance Analysis Hub will operate out of the Sport Wales National Centre, with four UKSI analysts undertaking roles alongside colleagues from The Sport Wales Institute.

For the Paralympics, there will be a Performance Analysis hub in London, the first time this service has been available for an away Paralympic Games, staffed by two UKSI analysts who will remotely support sports and analysts over in the French capital.

In addition, 10 UKSI people undertook roles at ‘Kitting Out’ in Birmingham and Loughborough, supporting athletes as they collected their official Team GB or ParalympicsGB kit and accessories.

UK Sports Institute CEO Matt Archibald said: “We are exceptionally proud to play our part in helping to prepare sports and athletes for the Games, ensuring they arrive and compete in Paris feeling physically and mentally healthy.

“It is a real honour for our people to undertake roles at or during the Games and it is a testament to the hard work they do week in week out that so many of them will be over in Paris.

“I would also like to pay tribute to our staff who might not be going to Paris, but have played just as an important role in the build-up, and will be supporting from back home.

“The only thing left to say is good luck to the athletes who have worked so hard, and to their coaching and support teams for everything they have done to be ready for this incredible summer of Olympic and Paralympic sport.”