UK Sport Leaders Call For Political Parties’ ‘vision For Sport’
UK sport’s governing bodies have penned a joint open letter to UK political parties, asking for their vision for sport ahead of this year’s General Election on 4th July.
The letter was written by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) CEO Richard Gould, Football Association (FA) CEO Mark Bullingham, Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Scott Lloyd, Rugby Football League (RFL) CEO Tony Sutton, and Rugby Football Union (RFU) CEO Bill Sweeney.
The national bodies address two main priorities, the first of these being the amount of sport and physical education being taught in schools. Secondly, the letter calls for the parties to continue the progress made by the current UK Government to enhancing sport facilities.
The letter said, ‘We hope that the manifestos due to be published next week will include a commitment to put physical literacy at the heart of the school day by having a minimum of two hours of quality sport and physical education mandated within the National Curriculum and every child guaranteed the opportunity to be active for an hour a day inside and outside of the school setting.
‘Clubs, pitches, courts and local facilities are the lifeblood of all communities.
‘They are a vital part of our nation’s wellbeing and national infrastructure. Everyone should have access to good quality sports facilities. Yet many are now in a poor state.
‘Across our sports we have all identified a common need for additional investment to improve grassroots facilities.’
UK sport’s leaders cited the recent investment in sporting infrastructures by the Government through the Football Foundation, and legacy investment related to the Rugby League World Cup in 2022, as well as the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025, the Women’s Cricket T20 World Cup in 2026, and the Parks Tennis initiative.
According to a Sport England in 2017, community sport was worth £85.5bn to the UK economy, with each £1 invested in sport and physical activity delivering £4 in return.
Subscribe to the Sport Industry Daily for regular updates on the biggest stories and latest news in the sport industry.
