Richard Callicott, President of Volleyball England, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, in recognition of his services to volleyball.

As President of the British Volleyball Federation where he has lead the development of Great Britain’s volleyball teams as they prepare for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Richard is also President of Volleyball England for whom he oversees the development and growth of volleyball in all its forms; indoor, beach and sitting from grassroots to the elite level.

British Volleyball Performance Programme Manager, Kenny Barton said, "Many congratulations to our British Volleyball President, Richard Callicott OBE, on this well deserved recognition of sterling service to not only our sport of volleyball but to the wider sports community in the UK, Europe and beyond.

"Our President, our leader, our ever present and enigmatic inspiration to all working so hard right across the whole spectrum of  our sport, with a smile on our face, is the energy force in making so many great people up their game to ensure that Great Britain's teams can proudly take their rightful place in the Paralympic and Olympic Games in London 2012".

Richard Callicott has a strong history in sport and sport administration. He started the Sandwell Volleyball Tournament over 30 years ago, which at its peak, became the biggest in Europe and won the IOC ‘Sport for All’ award and was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as probably the biggest volleyball tournament in the world, when it attracted 420 teams.

Richard is the current Chairman of the Commonwealth Volleyball Federation Steering Group which was successful in getting beach volleyball included on the list of optional events at the Commonwealth Games from 2018. Richard is also a Director of the British Paralympics Association.

He is the former Chief Executive of UK Sport where he received the prestigious Emlyn Jones Award for outstanding services in sports administration. Richard was also the Director of Sport for the National Indoor Arena of Sport from 1990-99 and the former British Delegate for the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA).

Everyone at Northern Ireland Volleyball would like to congratulate Richard on this fantastic achievement and in recognition of his services to our great sport.