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Richard Lewis has been appointed the new Chair of Sport England, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham announced on Friday.

Mr Lewis has been involved in top level sport for over thirty years and will bring extensive sports management and development experience to the role.

As Chair he will lead Sport England's drive to create more sporting opportunities for people of all ages and get one million people playing more sport, one of the Government's key legacy commitments for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Following a career as an international tennis player and coach, Richard was Director of Tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association from 1998 to 2000. He has been Executive Chair of the Rugby Football League since 2002 and will relinquish his executive duties to take up his four-year post with Sport England on 1 April 2009, replacing the interim Chair Michael Farrar, who will continue as a Board member of Sport England.

Andy Burnham said:

“With the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, this is an era of incredible opportunity for sport in this country. We want Sport England to work closely with governing bodies to create a world-class community sport system and no-one is better placed to help achieve this than Richard Lewis.

“Richard is a sportsman through and through. He has been involved in sport at every level throughout his career and is exactly the sort of person we need at the helm of Sport England.

“I have seen first hand what Richard has achieved at the Rugby Football League and now so many other sports will benefit from his expertise.

"I am very grateful to Mike Farrar, the interim Chair, and Jennie Price, the Chief Executive, for the work that they have done to develop Sport England's new strategy. I am confident that Richard and Jennie will build on this success."

Richard Lewis said:

“I am delighted to have been appointed Chair of Sport England at such an exciting as well as challenging time in sport. I know the massive benefits sport can bring to millions of people throughout the country and I want more people every year from all walks of life to get involved in sport and experience those benefits. Sport England can help make it happen and that is why I look forward to taking up the role.

“I am confident that the progress being made by Jennie Price and her colleagues can be built upon. As we approach 2012 and a wonderful Olympic and Paralympic Games, more and more opportunities will become available for everyone to become involved in sport.”

Jennie Price, Chief Executive of Sport England, said:

“Richard’s experience of sport at the sharp end – as a player, coach and senior administrator – will be invaluable to Sport England in our drive to deliver a real step change in grassroots sport.

“We have the opportunity, and the ability, to achieve something no Olympic host nation has ever managed before – a sustained increase in sports participation. I am looking forward to working with Richard to meet that challenge head on.”

(Source: Sportengland)