Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Tony Hall made peers in House of Lords
05 Feb 2010
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Tony Hall have been appointed to the House of Lords as Crossbench (non-party political) peers.
Dame Tanni is one of Britain's greatest Paralympians, Vice-Chair of the London 2012 Sports Advisory Group and a UNICEF International Inspiration Ambassador. In 1993 she received an MBE for services to sport, in 2000 the OBE for services to sport and in 2005 was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
She began her international athletics career in 1988 in Seoul, where she won a bronze medal in the 400m. By the time of her last Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004, she had amassed 16 medals, including 11 gold medals, and set more than 20 world records.
Dame Tanni is also a non-executive director for UK Athletics, and sits on the board of the London Marathon and the Board of Transport for London (2008). She is Chair of the Women’s Sports and Fitness Foundation Commission on the Future of Women’s Sport and patron of numerous charities.
In July 2009 Tony Hall was asked to set up and chair the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Board.
Tony became Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House in April 2001. He has led the setting up of new initiatives to widen access to the Royal Opera House and its work, as well as developing key international partnerships with performing arts centres around the world.
He is also a non-executive director of Channel 4 Television and a Trustee of the British Council.
Until 2001 Tony was Chief Executive BBC News and launched Radio 5 Live, BBC News 24, BBC News Online and BBC Parliament.
He was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2005.
