Redgrave is named '2012 Champion'

Sir Steve has been closely associated with the 2012 Games

Five-time gold medal winner Sir Steve Redgrave has been appointed as the Government's '2012 Sports Champion'.

Britain's most successful Olympian, with six medals, will lead the drive to boost participation in sports during the run up to the London Olympics.

"2012 is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change the habits of a nation," said the 47-year-old former rower.

Redgrave will be supported in the role by six other medallists, already working as school sports ambassadors.

Redgrave won golds at successive Games from 1984 to 2000, plus bronze in the coxed pairs in 1988.

He said he is "not afraid to ruffle feathers" in the drive to get more people playing sport.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown endorsed the move, saying: "Sir Steve Redgrave is exactly the right man to harness the power and reach of the games.

"(He will) help inspire the nation to become more actively involved in sport and help deliver a fantastic legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games once the flame has left London."

The other athletes involved in the project are sprinters Darren Campbell and Jason Gardener, heptathlete Denise Lewis, Paralympian Sascha Kindred (swimming), Gail Emms (badminton) and Joe Glanfield (sailing).

The Government's target is to get one million adults playing more sport and get young people doing five hours of sport per week inside and outside school.