David Faulkner, The FA’s head of performance for the women’s professional game, will step down from his role at the end of August.
Faulkner, who received an MBE for services to sport in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year, joined The FA in 2017 from one of the UK’s leading independent schools, Millfield, where he held the role of director of sport. Prior to that, he was performance director with England Hockey.
The Olympian, who achieved a gold medal in field hockey at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, had most recently led the Great Britain Football squad as team leader at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
During his career at The FA, Faulkner oversaw major developments in both domestic and international women’s football, including a key role in the professionalisation of the game in England.
He led the multi-disciplinary team that took England Women to the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France 2019 under head coach Phil Neville. He went on to take a lead role in the implementation of COVID-19 processes and protocols in the women’s domestic game last season, allowing for the completion of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship.
Most recently Faulkner held the role of team leader for the GB Football squad’s Tokyo Olympics campaign, in which his personal Olympic experience and expertise in operating under challenging Covid-19 restrictions provided the squad with the optimal support to compete at the Games.
The FA’s director of women’s football, Baroness Sue Campbell, said: “David has been dedicated to developing the women’s game over the last four years. He has held a number of roles within the organisation and has made a significant impact across many areas of our work. We wish David and his family the very best of health and happiness for their future.”
Faulkner said: “It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside so many talented colleagues striving to grow the women’s game. As a former athlete myself, I take great pride in having played a significant role in helping so many talented players achieve their sporting ambitions in both the domestic and international game.
“I now look forward to spending more time with my wife and family after a career which has taken me away from home for weeks and months at a time. Their support for me has never wavered over the years, but now is the right time to dedicate all my energies to them.”
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