ABSTRACT
Following the Commonwealth Games of 1978 in Edmonton, which were enjoyable from every aspect and resulted in a glorious festival of sport, all eyes were turned east towards Moscow and the Summer Olympic Games of 1980. These Games were to be the first organized by a Socialist country and no-one was in any doubt that they would be superbly arranged and would aim to represent to the world the achievements of Socialism. In an effort to break out of the traditional mould of high-level coaching in Britain that had developed over the years, the Sports Council, with its eyes on Moscow, offered governing bodies of sport additional financial resources to engage, on contract employment, the best coaches available from any country whatsoever in an endeavour to raise the platform of performances dramatically. The concept of ‘coaching supremos’ was regarded with suspicion in some quarters whilst others could not see clearly how such an appointment could be fitted in to their existing arrangements. However the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) grasped the nettle and appointed the highly talented and motivated David Haller, who was released from Beckenham Swimming Club for this purpose. Derek Beaumont was charged with looking after the British Diving Squad under similar arrangements, whilst the appointment of a Director of Racing by the British Cycling Federation (BCF) ensured that the British team for Moscow would travel prepared in the best possible way. The Amateur Fencing Association (AFA) employed two top-level overseas coaches in the run-up to the Olympics but sadly there were no other takers. Although the plan was to expand the scheme after the Moscow Olympics in preparation for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, this imaginative scheme lost momentum and drifted.
