Karen Maxwell speaks to the chair of the British Olympic Association’s Athletes’ Commission

Can you give an account of your sporting background?
I was always a person with lots of energy and played netball, basketball and did athletics at school. I won the Schools National Netball Tournament U16 with my team from Tiffin Girls’ School, and threw the discus at age group internationals.

It wasn’t until I went to Cambridge to study that I started to row – and gained Blues in athletics, netball, basketball and rowing. On graduation I joined the GB rowing squad and set my sights on competing for my country in rowing.

Can you explain your role as chair of the BOA Athletes’ Commission?
My role is to ensure that the athlete is at the heart of everything the BOA does.

I chair a group of 12 elected current or recently retired Olympians, plus our elected International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission athletes and make sure that we look at BOA projects when they are being planned. This way the group can offer its thoughts and opinions of the projects and the BOA management team can either be confident in their direction of travel, or may choose to alter parts of a project.

The group has great experience, and it’s my job to ensure that things come to the commission at the right stage, and that everyone has a chance to be heard in the discussion that follows.

Does this complement other roles you hold in sport?
I work in leadership and coaching and believe this role absolutely complements my day job. I work through with members what they want to get out of volunteering for the commission and then set up opportunities for them to achieve these goals.

What are the current issues for the Commission and athletes in the lead up to the 2012 Games?
We’ve been involved in most of the projects that the BOA has planned for the Games, so at this stage, any input is merely to help in the fine tuning.

Members who are not competing in the Games have been asked to volunteer for the BOA to help with the Olympic Ambition Programme and other roles.

Current work also includes members sitting on a Winter Sport Olympic Qualification Panel for Sochi and members working on an Olympic experience project. They’re also having input into a sustainability project. Some members will also sit on a disciplinary panel, should this be required during the Games.

How do you liaise with the BOA?
I sit as a voting member on the BOA board, and my report from the commission is a standing item. If the commission needs another opinion on a certain topic, I’ll introduce this onto the board agenda for discussion. Also both I and a second commission member attend the National Olympic Committee meetings, where the 33 member sports meet and discuss BOA projects and policy.

How do you share best practice?
I speak at and share my experiences with the European Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission. I was also a volunteer at the International Olympic Academies session for Olympic medalists where I met other athletes who are active in their countries and we had a week of sharing ideas, challenges and best practice.

We also have links with the IOC Athletes’ Commission, as elected member Adam Pengilly sits on our commission. Jonathan Edwards is invited to our meetings and has invited me to sit on the LOCOG Athletes’ Commission and the chair of the British Athletes’ Commission (BAC), Karen Pickering, invites me to BAC board meetings.

I believe that the more we can communicate and work together, the louder the athletes’ voice will become.