The UIAA is pleased to announce the appointment of Roger Payne as the first Sports and Development Director of the UIAA.

Roger comes to the UIAA with 12 years experience of working for the British Mountaineering Council of which 6 ½ years have been as General Secretary. For 10 years during this period Roger was also secretary of the UIAA Mountaineering Commission and is therefore very familiar with issues affecting UIAA member federations. For example, he was involved in the review of ski mountaineering competitions the report from which helped in the setting up of the UIAA International Council for Ski Mountaineering Competitions. At the BMC Roger had overall responsibility for all specialist programmes such as youth, training and access and conservation.

He also had overall responsibility for the popular international climbing meets held in the UK, and the international climbing competitions run by the BMC at the NIA in Birmingham (including the 1999 UIAA World Championship and the 2001 finals of the European Youth Cup and Bouldering World Cup). Roger is a qualified UIAGM mountain guide and secondary school teacher which was his career prior to the BMC. Roger has extensive climbing experience including 16 expeditions to difficult and remote mountains.

He also has an interest in sustainable mountain development and 2 of his expeditions were responsible for installing micro-hydroelectricity projects in remote mountain villages. UIAA President Ian McNaught-Davis said: "Appointing a Sports and Development Director is a major step forward and the UIAA Board is delighted to have recruited someone with such experience, energy and passion for the sport. This appointment will help the UIAA become a more proactive international organisation better able to help member federations to meet their aims and objectives. It is excellent that the UIAA is able to make this important appointment to coincide with the launch of the UIAA Summit Charter and United Nations International Year of Mountains 2002. This combination is the perfect launch pad for the new UIAA strategic plan."

« Back