A 50-YEAR-OLD Infantry Major in the British Army has been appointed as the competition manager for the controversial 2012 Olympic shooting venue at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, it was announced today.

Peter Underhill, who has been involved with the sport of target shooting since he was 13 years old, will be responsibile for all the planning, organisation and management at the South East London venue that officials from British Shooting have continually tried to get changed.

They claim that the Woolwich venue will cost up to £26 million and still leave the sport with nothing to show for it after the Games.

But Underhill has vowed to work tirelessly to make sure that shooting is a success in 2012.

He said: “I am honoured and privileged to be offered such a significant role.

"The Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London in 2012 will be the greatest sporting events to take place in this country’s history and to be part of it is exciting and inspiring.

"I know that both the London Organising Committee and British Shooting are determined to produce exceptional and unique Games in 2012; I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this once in a lifetime experience”.   

The position will initially be part-time but Underhill will start working full-time in 2010.  

During a service career spanning some 32 years, Underhill has represented the Army, England and Britain in both service rifle and small-bore target rifle shooting.

Besides international representation and national accolades in 1999 he received the Combined Services Sportsman of the year award.

 

Underhill's key responsibilities will include the overseeing of all aspects of the shooting competition and to be the focal point for liaison with the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF). 

He will ensure that the competition is organised in accordance with ISSF rules, the International Olympic Committee Charter and the Host City Contract.

Underhill will also liaise with other functional areas to ensure the coordinated delivery of support services such as accreditation, venue operations, medical services and volunteers.

He now combines minor shooting competition with a very heavy involvement within the administration of the sport, both at Army and national level.

In 2001 he was selected to be the competition manager for the Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships and the following year was appointed shooting competition manager of the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games themselves, both events held at Bisley in Surrey.

In addition he prepared and managed the highly successful England team which won 19 medals at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.

He remains instrumental in managing England shooting affairs being the chairman of both the English Small-bore Shooting Union and the English Target Shooting Federation.

As such he sits as a director of British Shooting and as part of preparations for 2012, has recently engineered the successful bid to UK Sport and the ISSF to bring a shotgun World Cup to Britain in 2010.

He is well placed to help facilitate delivery of the Olympic Games, having been elected in 2006 to the ISSF judges committee where he acts as secretary.

Horst Schreiber, the general secretary of the ISSF, said: “We are very happy to receive the news that Peter is to be the Competition Manager.

 

"He is an obvious choice and is well equipped to cope with the challenges of the job.

"He is well known to us through his duties as a member of our ISSF Judges Committee.

"As the venue for shooting is on a military site at Woolwich, his being an Army officer will prove an invaluable asset to both the Organising Committee and ourselves.”

Phil Boakes, the chairman of British Shooting, who has been particularly critical of London 2012 for refusing to move the venue, nevertheless welcomed the appointment of Underhill.

He said: “I am delighted for Peter.  The importance of this position cannot be underestimated.

"We have in Peter a suitably trained and experienced person to play a key role in the shooting event.

"Even though London 2012 is still four years away we are pleased to begin working with the London Organising Committee to put on the best Games ever and I know that he will work tirelessly to ensure that is achieved”.     

Underhill is the fourth competition manager for the 26 sports to be appointed, following Rob Andrew in sailing, John Lunt in triathlon and Hilary Atkinson in badminton