The British Government has published a wide ranging consultation document on how it can establish a new strategy for sport. The trigger for the action has been a decline in active participation in sport since the peak around London 2012 and fears that a once in a lifetime opportunity that the Games created was in danger of being lost.
The document correctly points out that when the last major review of sports strategy was undertaken the UK had not decided on whether to bid for London 2012, Wayne Rooney was 16 and Double Olympic Gold medallist Laura Trott was still in National School.
In 2002 there were no smartphones and no park runs. That was the last time though that a coherent strategy ‘Game Plan‘ was brought forward by Government and there is a recognition that the gap is too long for an area of society and our social lives that is of greater importance than has been recognised.
The consultation is divided into ten key areas:
- Participation
- Physical Activity
- Children and Young People
- Financial Sustainability
- Coaching, Workforce and Good Governance
- Elite and Professional Sport
- Infrastructure
- Fairness and Equality
- Safety and Wellbeing
- International Influence and Major Sporting Events
This is very much being put forward as an ‘all of Government’ approach with each of the key areas introduced in the document by Ministers with responsibility in Education, Health, Transport, Foreign Affairs and Business.
“In developing a new strategy we will need to re-think the traditional ways of funding sport participation,” says Sports Minister Tracey Crouch in her introduction.
“We need to embrace technology and appreciate the power it has to get people active.”
It is now time to turn that belief into something tangible, to turn the dream of a truly active nation into a reality.”
The consultation document cites real life examples of the kind of measurable benefits that are being explored. Like in Italy where heart screening of all athletes at elite and amateur level is undertaken and a clarity of purpose is derived to foster increased participation.
It runs to more than 50 pages and is a start point asking questions and suggesting what needs to be considered in order to draw all the strands of sport together for the benefit of all. The process of consultation runs until October 2nd.
In Ireland the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport is already undertaking a detailed review of Sport policy and officials are focused on creating the same level of cross departmental buy in for the benefits that will accrue across all sectors of having a more active and healthier population.
There is no silver bullet which will make everything wonderful overnight. There is no option though but to take one step forward every day in lifting sport up the priority list.
It is about persuading the nation that sport is about more than Paul O’Connell, Katie Taylor or Bernard Brogan excelling on their stages.
It’s actually more about you and I being inspired by what they do and going out to do our own bit for ourselves, whether that’s a 5K run a 10K cycle, a football coaching course or a walk around the block.
We are less than a year away from an election and it was the enthusiasm of a new parliament that has sparked the UK review. It is imperative that the Sports Policy work underway here is heightened, perhaps along a similar timeframe one year from now, when Olympic fever has gripped the country and sport’s premium is at its most obvious.
The UK document can be seen here. It’s a fine milestone in terms of looking at what the future for sport in Ireland could look like.
