UK Sport And Sport England To Merge

The Government has announced that it is to merge UK Sport and Sport England, the two bodies who distribute National Lottery funding, in the latest move to cut costs and increase transparency.

Jeremy Hunt, culture secretary said that the merger can ‘create a more effective structure to deliver sport success and a wider legacy from the 2012 Games.’

??However, the merger is unlikely to take place before the London 2012 Olympics, which starts two years today.??

UK Sport is the body that funds Olympic athletes and aims to develop promising talent whilst Sport England funds grassroots sports – providing facilities and coaching. ??

The decision to merge the bodies has been imminent since the election of the coalition Government – that promised to ‘cut costs and increase transparency, accountability and efficiency.’

??The Conservatives’ pre-election policy aimed to bring Sport England, UK Sport and the Youth Sports Trust together but to retain their separate identities.

The two bodies have been provided with nearly £800m in the run-up to the 2012 Games.