145. Tanni Grey-Thompson - how to keep young athletes safe in sport

Tanni Grey-Thompson is a Welsh politician and TV presenter as well as being a former wheelchair Paralympian.  Over her Paralympic career she won 16 medals including 11 golds for wheelchair racing, she held over 30 world records and also won the London Marathon 6 times.  She was also BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year on three occasions and received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. 

Tanni is remarkably clear and open about her sporting achievements and later work resporting on the state of sporting organisations and their sometimes lax approach to care and potential abuse.

Tanni has not only made history in the sporting arena.  After she retired, she expanded her broadcasting experience and became the first wheelchair user to present on BBC tv.  She has been a key part of their commentary team since the Beijing Olympics. 

In addition, Tanni has held a number of advisory and consultancy roles over the years and also represented many charities. She has also been Chancellor of Northumbria University since 2015.  

Tanni’s significant achievements have been formally acknowledged many times.  She received an MBE in 1993, this was advanced to an OBE in 2000 and she was made a Dame in 2005 for Services to Disabled Sport.  In 2010, she was made a lifelong peer where she sits as a cross-bencher.