A major new appointment is Nik Diaper, who is joining as head of performance.

Reporting directly to director of sport and Pyeongchang 2018 Chef de Mission Penny Briscoe, Diaper will lead all aspects of preparation and event-time athlete performance support across the next Winter and Summer Games.

He is replacing Georgina Sharples who, after nine years of service, left earlier this year to work for the English Institute of Sport (EIS) as head of performance support for the British Equestrian world class programme.

Diaper joins the BPA from the EIS, where he has worked for the past 13 years, most recently as head of sport science and medicine for Paralympic sport.

He has attended a number of Paralympic Games, forming a key part of the British science and medicine team at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and in particular Rio 2016, where he ran the performance centre based in the Athletes' Village.

He will be deputy Chef de Mission for Great Britain at Pyeongchang 2018 and will begin work at the BPA on July 10.

“I’m thrilled that Nik is joining the BPA as our new head of performance," said Briscoe.

"I first worked with Nik during the Athens 2004 Paralympic cycle and what has impressed me since then is his unerring passion and commitment to Paralympic sport.

"He has worked tirelessly, in a variety of roles, to make a performance difference over multiple Paralympic Games cycles and his skills and experience will, without doubt, further strengthen our world leading core team.”

Also joining the BPA on June 20 is Paul Cox, who will be the new head of communications following the departure of Tash Carpenter to Premiership Rugby after nine years at the organisation.

Cox has held major roles at the BBC before joining UK Sport as head of communications for five years.

Communications manager Katherine Allin will remain as chief press officer for Pyeongchang 2018.

Paralympic swimming gold medallist Susie Rodgers is the final appointment. 

She has been handed the role of communications officer to focus on public affairs.

Rodgers retired from swimming in May after winning gold in the S7 50 metres butterfly at Rio 2016 and also adding two bronze medals in the S7 50m and 400m freestyle events.

Four years earlier in London, Rodgers won three bronze medals in the S7 100m and 400m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle relay 34 points race.

“I am really pleased that we can be announcing such strong appointments to the BPA at this critical time for our planning and delivery," added Tim Hollingsworth, BPA chief executive.

"Having said a fond goodbye to some hugely talented colleagues, it is particularly exciting to see the calibre and experience of those coming in to take the work forward. 

"Across the BPA team I couldn’t be prouder of how the whole core team is delivering and I know that our new colleagues will only add to that enthusiasm, commitment and expertise.”