Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has told a sporting conference in London on the eve of the Olympics that it was vital to pour more money into coaching and urged sports bodies to invest more of their income in the grassroots.
“We need a greater linking up between government, sports organisations and the grassroots,” he said, addressing the Beyond Sport Conference.
“It’s important for the sport’s governing bodies to understand the importance of coaching and volunteers. It’s not just about picking some elite kids and making them champions; it’s about permeating sport through the community.”
He said that he had waged an ongoing battle in government to “fight the system” and knit sport into the fabric of health, education and social affairs policy but admitted that he could have gone further.
“You can always do more. But I think we did a lot in terms of facilities, sports co-ordinators in schools and so on.”
After leaving office Blair established a small sports foundation in North East England which trains sports coaches and volunteers.
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