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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Funding Cuts Threatened As Sports Participation In England Drops

Funding for failing sport bodies "could be slashed and new targets introduced after it emerged that 125,100 fewer people are playing sport in England compared to a year ago," according to Annie Vernon of the LONDON TIMES. Sport England’s latest Active People Survey shows an 8% decline in participation in swimming, "still England’s most popular sport with more than 2.6 million people regularly taking part weekly." Its decline "has wiped out increased numbers getting involved in other sports including athletics, football and cricket." U.K. Sports Minister Helen Grant "defended the government’s record on participation," but said that sports bodies that were "not performing to expectations would have their funding reviewed." Grant: "I am very concerned by the overall dip in participation over the last 12 months. Sports governing bodies have long argued that they can bring new people to their sport and funding should go via them but some are simply not delivering and it’s not good enough" (LONDON TIMES, 1/29). In London, Owen Gibson reported the disappointing figures "also show that female participation -- supposed to be a key area of focus -- has declined and so did the number of disabled people playing sport regularly." Shadow Sports Minister Clive Efford said that "the figures were 'appalling.'" Efford: "Three years on from the Olympics, we should be seeing significant growth in participation yet we’re not. Most worryingly, we’ve seen a large decline among people on lower incomes." Grant said that she was "encouraged" by a rise in the 16 to 25 age group given that Sport England "had been specifically tasked with encouraging young people to play more sport but admitted that the overall picture was troubling" (GUARDIAN, 1/29). Also in London, Roger Blitz reported Sport England, which funds activities, said that "swimming had failed to modernise compared with other activities such as running and gym exercise." Sport England CEO Jennie Price: "That has to change and to change quickly" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 1/29).

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