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SPORT SOLHEIM CUP


Even when she was still competing, Frania Gillen-Buchert was involved in the events industry. Picture: Alistair Devine


Team Scotland squash player Frania Gillen-Buchert may have hung up her racket – but she’s now a big hitter in the events world


BY KEVIN O’SULLIVAN S


he’s spent 28 years of her life playing squash, representing her country at every level, and competing in three Commonwealth Games


– including Glasgow 2014 where, watched by family and friends, she called an end to a long career. But for much of that time Frania


Gillen-Buchert has either been plan- ning for a career in – or has actually


been working in - the events indus- try. After quitting sport she took up a role at Event Scotland earlier this year, where she quickly became a linchpin in the team that has just se- cured the Solheim Cup for Scotland. In a fit of giggles she also tells me


that she was one of the athletes who chose that tartan for the commie games opening ceremony uniform last year. Note: she didn’t choose the socks, and she also thinks some of the negative reaction was taken out


24 | EVENTSBASE | WINTER 2015


of context, as the costume had to be visible from 300 metres, not be see through if it rained and was actually “brilliant” for the impact it created. But we’re here to talk about golf


and what impressed the Ladies European Tour so much about the Scottish Solheim bid, which culmi- nated in Gleneagles being selected as the 2019 venue for the women’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup, which was hosted at the Perthshire course last year.


Among the benefits to having Fra-


nia working within the four-strong golfing team was that equality for women’s sport was chosen as one of the three themes running through the bid - along with innovation and experience. After getting herself on the athletes committee for Glasgow, Frania had an unparalleled contacts book in that regard, and was able to call on some of the most prominent sportswomen in the country. “I just got my some of my


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