The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management
eNews
ISRM's email bulletin to the sport and recreation industry.
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ISRM eNews issue 124: 3 July 2008 |
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Physical intervention New guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has emphasised the responsibility of employers in ensuring workers have enough opportunities for physical activity (read more). Meanwhile, a researcher from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia has called for more practical intervention in getting people from lower socio-economic backgrounds to exercise (read more). |
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Child protection on the agenda There has been a range of comment on the issue of child protection, in the wake of Government guidance on the proportionate use of CRB checks for volunteers. The Telegraph reported that volunteer groups who use CRB checks unnecessarily will receive Government training (read more). However, in another article the paper suggested that even parents who drive other people’s children to sports clubs will need vetting under new regulations (read more). A Guardian report has highlighted the complexity of protecting children (read more) and an article published by the American College of Sports Medicine has called for parents of elite youth athletes to monitor their children more closely for signs of overtraining (read more). |
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Get active to cut cancer risk It seems the links between exercise and both the prevention and treatment of cancer keep getting stronger. A Swedish study has found that men who walk or cycle for at least 30 minutes a day are 34 per cent less likely to die from the disease (read more). Furthermore, a US study has found that regular exercise before menopause can reduce women’s risk of breast cancer by 23 per cent (read more). The NHS knowledge service found the results of both studies promising but highlighted the importance of other lifestyle factors, such as a healthy diet and not smoking. |
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A long-term study into the health of 307 children born between 1995 and 1996 suggests the current US and UK guidelines for children’s physical activity need rethinking. |
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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA) have issued a joint statement on the future of first aid approvals. |
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Help make funding less of a lottery Sport England is inviting people involved in sports at all levels to give their views on how to improve the process of applying for Lottery funding. |
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New pool-side computer software that helps streamline competitive swimmers’ techniques has been developed. It builds on existing glide-analysis technology, offering faster feedback so swimmers can adjust their technique immediately. |
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ISRM eNews issue 123: 25 June 2008 |
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Universities' sporting hopes Universities are increasingly likely to offer top-class sporting facilities in order to attract students. According to The Times more than 1.7 million British students take part in regular sporting activity, and the country's educational establishments now see smart new sports facilities as a major selling point. |
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Risk assessment scuppers sports day A junior school in West Sussex has cancelled its annual sports day because of fears that children will trip over and hurt themselves during the events. The Daily Mail reports that Holmbush First School's headteacher wrote to parents, advising them of the decision, after a risk assessment found the school's new playing field was 'too dangerous' for egg-and-spoon and sack races. |
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Clubs to be held responsible for violent play Sports clubs will have to contend with large increases in insurance premiums following a legal ruling that will make them responsible for any injuries that result of deliberate violence. According to the Daily Mail, the Court of Appeal decided that Redruth rugby club should be held responsible after a skirmish led to player Andrew Gravil suffering a broken eye socket. |
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New Olympic costs warning The National Audit Office has warned that the £9.3 billion budget for the 2012 London Olympics could overrun significantly. The Daily Telegraph reports that, due to a series of 'formidable' challenges such as security costs and uncertainty over financing of the Olympic Village, the official budget for the Games could be 'blown out of the water'. |
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Free swimming under parliamentary scrutiny Parliament has been discussing the subject of free swimming, and the provision of general swimming facilities across the UK. The Government revealed the number of swimming pools that have opened and closed across the UK since 2004 and Prime Minister Gordon Brown confirmed that councils will be able to reclaim any VAT incurred in providing free lessons to under-16s or over-60s. |
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Free swimming high on MPs' agendas as further details revealed The Government's Free Swimming plans caused much debate in Westminster. The Culture Secretary's announcement has still left MPs with plenty of further questions, as these three excerpts from the House of Commons debates show: Read here about how the scheme will take shape. |
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ISRM eNews issue 122: 18 June 2008 |
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The announcement of free swimming for all by 2012 has been a hot topic in the House of Commons this week. In a Written Answer, Health Minister Dawn Primarolo, confirmed her department would be contributing £40 million to the total £140 million pledged by Government over the next four years (read more). Meanwhile, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture Media and Sport each stated they would be contributing around £30 million to the pot. |
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Adults who take part in hazardous sports only have themselves to blame should they sustain an injury, a court has ruled. In a landmark judgment, which could help protect the recreation industry against future lawsuits, judges overturned a High Court decision that found a leisure centre 25 per cent responsible for a customer's fall from a climbing wall. |
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Drowning tragedy at pool fun day A seven-year-old girl has drowned following an incident at a swimming pool in Essex. Lifeguards leapt to the rescue of the unconscious child after she was spotted under water during a family fun day, but despite resuscitation attempts, she was later pronounced dead at Colchester General Hospital. |
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The new Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has made clear his commitment to sport in the capital, while simultaneously pledging not to allow the Olympic costs to spiral out of control. In an interview with The Independent, Johnson enthused about grassroots sport and claimed he loved watching and taking part, even though he felt he was no good at it. |
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A House of Commons Debate has highlighted the lesser-known impact of cardiac disease on young people. The debate, during Arrythmia Awareness Week, called for mandatory screening to help save lives. |
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An article in The Daily Telegraph has named Keith Mills, former chief executive of the London Olympic Committee, as the firm favourite to take the helm at Sport England. Mills, who oversaw the successful 2012 bid, is tipped to be the organisation's next chairman, a position that is vacant following the departure of Derek Mapp in November. |
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Restaurant and bar workers can celebrate after an Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that the National Minimum Wage should exclude tips and gratuities, as long as they are not paid via a company's payroll system. |
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Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has offered the latest statistics on the numbers of pools opening and closing in England in the past four years – and the final figure is about equal. |
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ISRM eNews issue 121: 11 June 2008 |
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The ISRM has welcomed the Government pledge of free swimming for all by 2012, but cautioned that money must be invested into training for pool managers and employees (read more). Reports in The Times and The Guardian detailed the initial £130-million investment package that will make swimming free to the under-16s and over-60s during the next two years. This includes £80 million to reimburse local pools, and £50 million for refurbishment. Sports Minister Andy Burnham described swimming as 'the perfect antidote to couch-potato culture'. |
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Sport England is to undergo its third restructure in five years, as part of the Government's shake-up of the sector, with £20 million of its budget to be diverted to sports governing bodies for coaching and promotion (read more). The Central Council for Physical Recreation (CCPR) welcomed the changes, calling for co-ordinated action to ensure grassroots sport develops and thrives. |
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Leaving a legacy Further details of the Government's short, medium and long-term vision for the future of sport in the UK have been revealed with the publication of its Playing to Win strategy and Legacy Action Plan. Both documents highlight the Government's determination to transform Britain into a world-leading sporting nation. |
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Call for a higher priority for sport Lord Pendry, former Shadow Minister for Sport, has called for a new strategy for sport and physical education. He stated during a House of Lords debate that there was still room for improvement, most notably in terms of increasing participation to tackle obesity and poor health. |
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Sportscotland has announced a £780,000 cash boost for grassroots sports organisations in Scotland. Facilities across the country, from Dumfries to Shetland, will benefit, including the renowned mountain bike range at Fort William. |
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The Conservatives have announced plans to scrap the Big Lottery Fund if they come into power, claiming the Labour Government has siphoned off millions of pounds for 'pet projects', rather than spending the money where it is needed. According to a Daily Mail report, David Cameron pledged to restore lottery funding to its original four causes – sports, arts, heritage and communities. |
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ISRM eNews issue 120: 3 June 2008 |
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Walk your way to better health Keeping active can lower your risk of cancer – if you're a man. Scientists found that walking or cycling for at least 30 minutes per day can reduce the cancer death rate in men by a third. |
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Netball is set for a boost thanks to a £227,700 investment in Netball Scotland to help develop the sport in the run-up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. It's the largest sum ever given to netball and is intended to help strengthen performance and create a strong national team. |
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In a bid to attract athletes and teams to the UK in the build-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games, more than 170 sporting facilities in the UK will feature in the Paralympics Pre-Games Training Camp Guide, published this summer. The chosen facilities are either capable of hosting a wide variety of sports or have been selected as a centre of excellence for a particular sport. |
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Drinking cold water on a hot day can help make exercise easier by reducing your heart rate, according to a new study. The research by Loughborough University found that drinking cold water while working out lowered volunteers' heart rates by five beats per minute, which could help keep cyclists below their lactate threshold and aid recovery rates. Drinking hot or warm water did not have the same impact. |
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Northern Ireland has launched its strategy for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, aiming to get more young people involved in sport and physical activity at a domestic level. Other targets include getting Northern Ireland to host part of the torch relay and to ensure that at least 10 teams come to pre-training camps in the area, as well as creating a better sports infrastructure. |
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ISRM eNews issue 119: 28 May 2008 |
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It makes business sense to urge your employees to take more exercise, according to a report from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), which has issued guidance for employers on promoting physical activity in the workplace. |
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This is the new logo for British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS), a company that is being launched on 16 June to represent the interests of those managing, competing and participating in university sport across the higher education sector. It incorporates two organisations – the British Universities Sports Association and University and College Sport. |
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It’s a dog’s life on the beach These two stories may or may not be linked... First, Leo Hickman writes in The Guardian about Bilbo, Britain's favourite lifedog, being banned from the beach thanks to the intervention of 'faceless bureaucrats' (read more). And secondly, the Marine Conservation Society warns that the number of beaches with excellent water quality is down by 10 per cent compared with a year ago. |
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Concerns over PE teaching in the spotlight The inadequacy of training for PE teachers is highlighted in a feature in The Herald that includes comments from the Association for Physical Education's Professor Margaret Talbot – and focuses on the PE crisis facing schools in Scotland. |
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Get involved in sunbed consultation People working in the sport and recreation industry are being urged to take part in the Health and Safety Executive's review of the sunbed industry. The HSE has published, for consultation, a revised version of its guidance (read more), while a story in The Guardian suggests that the review may lead to young people being banned from using sunbeds. |
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Britain doesn't take sport seriously enough, says a leading academic, who is calling for politicians and others to drop their 'laissez-faire' attitude to sport and start treating it as something to be proactively managed (read more). But it's not all doom and gloom as Sport England stresses its support for three projects that aim to increase sports participation – and which were all nominated for awards at the 2008 Sport Industry Awards. |
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ISRM eNews issue 118: 21 May 2008 |
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From October 2009, people who work or volunteer with vulnerable adults or people under the age of 18 will have to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. The registration, which is free for volunteers, will affect many sports and recreation employees. ISRM is currently seeking clearer guidance from the ISA on the exact requirements of the legislation. |
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A report in The Daily Telegraph claims red tape is blighting modern-day swimming facilities, with 'nonsensical' rules about lifeguard-to-swimmer ratios preventing more people from getting active. |
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The British Lead Climbing Championships will take place at the 'awesome' George Bancroft Park climbing towers in Blackpool this weekend, for the second year running. The event, which is one of the biggest in the British Mountaineering Council's calendar, should see enthusiasts flock to the town. |
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The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, has published an analysis of the 2007 Foresight report Tackling Obesities: Future Choices, looking specifically at the role local government can play in creating healthier communities. |
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According to a House of Commons Written Answer, a recent survey has revealed up to 46 per cent of women and up to 96 per cent of girls participated in some form of sport in the month prior to the survey being completed (read more). Meanwhile, the Treasury has refused to set a clear date for the publication of the cross-Governmental review into physical activity. |
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The ISRM is holding two swimming pool management workshops this summer – one in Glasgow in June and one in Wales in August. To find out more and book your place follow the link. |
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ISRM eNews issue 117: 14 May 2008 |
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Bouncy castle warning The ISRM has pointed out that operators providing bouncy castles should ensure they are using them in accordance with the ISRM guidance document on inflatables, which is based on original guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (read more). The Institute was responding to a test case where a child who was injured while playing on a bouncy castle won damages against the family who had hired it. Meanwhile, the British Inflatable Hirers Alliance (BIHA) and Times columnist Rachel Johnson have both given their perspective on the case. |
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The Government plans to urge business and trade union leaders to incorporate sport into the national working day. According to a report in The Times, it will encourage them to ensure employees can be involved in high-level sport without jeopardising their careers. |
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Advice after kids' boxing revelations A TV documentary about children being involved in Thai (Kick) Boxing has prompted the NSPCC’s child protection in sport unit to issue advice on the best ways to ensure that leisure services managers do not rent out their facilities to inappropriate organisations. |
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How effective are the volunteers in sports clubs you are involved in running? Find out by measuring the impact of volunteers using a new set of web-based tools designed specifically for sports organisations. |
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Record cash for Scottish projects A range of exercise programmes, including outdoor sessions in parks, lunchtime walks from people's workplaces and walking groups in deprived communities, are among the initiatives that will benefit as a result of extra cash being poured into physical activity initiatives in Scotland. Nearly £12 million will be spent over the next three years as part of the country's physical activity strategy. |
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Trusts and private individuals are now eligible to take part in Sportsmatch, a Sport England programme that encourages grassroots sports participation. |
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ISRM eNews issue 116: 8 May 2008 |
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Are leisure trusts truly independent? An article in The Times has cast doubt over the true level of independence experienced by leisure centres that have been set up as charitable trusts. It argues that some local authorities are 'trying to pull a fast one', getting too involved in the way the centres are run. |
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A study by the Massachussets General Hospital and Harvard University Health Services in America has revealed that 90 days of vigorous exercise can produce significant changes in the structure and function of the heart, depending on what type of activity is undertaken. Meanwhile, an example from Australia highlighted the success of a multimedia campaign which – on a very limited budget – successfully promoted the message: 'To be young at heart – stay active, stay independent'. |
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A £135 million investment into grassroots football has been announced. The Government has teamed up with the FA and the Premier League to deliver the funding package to the Football Foundation over the next three years, improving facilities and creating opportunities. |
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A report in The Herald has highlighted the challenge faced by Scotland in creating a lasting legacy following its hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2014. And an article on the Audit Scotland website looks at both the risks and benefits associated with staging the event. It points out that participation in sport in Scotland is in decline, and that strong leadership will be essential to safeguard the £298 million of public money committed to the Games. |
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Green light for sports academy Government ministers have given the go-ahead for a National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure, with the aim of improving the quality of British sports coaching in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic Games. |
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Sports Coach UK, the national coaching foundation, has revealed a blueprint document for developing a high-quality coaching system in the UK by 2016. The UK Coaching Framework outlines a vision to create a cohesive, inclusive and world-leading system that will help coaches increase participation and improve performance in sport. |
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ISRM eNews issue 115: 23 April 2008 |
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The Government misled the public over the true cost of the Olympic games, omitting key costs from the original estimate, according to a group of MPs. The public accounts committee called the budget 'entirely unrealistic' and said it seemed 'extraordinary' that foreseeable costs were left out of the original £4bn, which has now climbed to more than £9bn. |
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Stunning performances at swimming championships People involved in swimming are reflecting on the impact of this month's World Short-Course Championships in Manchester, which yielded no less than 18 world records - with the British team taking home an impressive 24 medals between them. The young swimming stars held their own admirably against strong competition, with Rebecca Adlington winning the 800m freestyle in a time just split seconds shy of Kate Ziegler's world record. |
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Elite performance director for the British Olympic Association Sir Clive Woodward has brought in leading visual awareness coach Sherylle Calder to help secure British Olympic success. The former England rugby coach previously worked with Calder to help develop his team's hand-eye co-ordination and peripheral vision. |
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Following the British cycle team's recent success at the World Track Championships, cycling has been enjoying a high profile. Sports Minister Andy Burnham visited a Go-Ride cycle coaching session to find out how the scheme is encouraging children into the sport (read more). Meanwhile, British Cycling is calling on the Government to secure the future of road racing, which it says is in decline in the UK. |
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Exercise key to cancer survivors Cancer survivors who are inactive and overweight reduce their chances of full recovery and could be more likely to experience a recurrence of the disease, according to a report in The Daily Mail. A Canadian study found that physical exercise could be particularly important to obese breast cancer survivors. |
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ISRM eNews issue 114: 17 April 2008 |
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Learning and Skills Council to close The Government has announced that the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will cease to operate from 2010, as part of its ongoing reforms around skills. The £7 billion in funding currently allocated to the LSC will be transferred to local authorities, which will be given responsibility for education and training for 14- to 19-year-olds and ensuring that young people remain in education or training until the age of 18. |
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New laws under spotlight New laws covering corporate manslaughter and employing young people have come under media scrutiny this month. The Times suggests that charity events such as fun runs could be threatened by the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act, while the newspaper also predicts problems for restaurants, shops and cafes that employ children, as a result of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act. |
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Benefits of youth exercise Several news outlets are focusing on the importance of exercise for children. Young children who lead inactive lifestyles are five to six times more likely to be at serious risk of heart disease, with danger emerging as early as their teenage years, according to a study. Teenagers would also feel less awkward if they exercised more, according to Manchester Metropolitan and Edinburgh Universities. Also in Scotland, a commitment to ensure two hours' exercise a week for school children has been dropped after councils refused to implement it. |
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Adult exercise on the up The percentage of adults in England who take part in regular sporting activity has grown, with the biggest increase among over-55s. Early results in the second Active People Survey shows that the number of over-16s participating in 30 minutes of moderate intensity sport three or more times a week has increased by more than 350,000. |
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The aquatics centre for the 2012 London Olympics will cost more than three times the original estimate, according to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). The cost of the east London facility is now estimated at £242 million, compared to £75 million quoted in London's winning bid. |
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Exercise helps mental health The British Journal of Sports Medicine has published several studies relating to the benefits of physical exercise. The first suggests that just 20 minutes of physical activity in a week is enough to improve mental health. A second analysis suggests that maintaining physical exercise through middle age may be enough to delay the ageing process by up to 12 years, while a third shows that cricketers who play the most test matches are most likely to live a long life. |
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ISRM eNews issue 113: 8 April 2008 |
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Regulatory changes A number of regulatory changes affecting all businesses have come into force this week. These range from transport to health and safety. Click here for a full list.
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VAT on saunas and spas The Government faced questioning over the contentious issue of back-dating of VAT charges on spas and saunas within public leisure centres, particularly those run by charities. Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe estimated around 22 per cent of leisure facilities that provide spas were run by trusts. |
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Their future in our hands According to a report in the Telegraph, children who are inactive are six times more likely to develop the early signs of heart disease than their fitter counterparts (read more). Meanwhile a story in The Daily Mail revealed that a quarter of 10-year-olds are never allowed to play outside on their own (read more). And a third article examined the impact of the Government’s investment into play areas for children (read more). |
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Playing field sales Kevin Brennan, Minister for Children, Schools and Families, responded to criticism of the Government's controversial agreement to sell 19 school playing fields in 2007. |
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Over-50s more active A Sport England survey has revealed that older people are at the forefront of the current slow-but-steady growth in sports participation in the UK (read more). And the ISRM has launched a new set of posters aimed at helping people who are taking up physical activity to exercise safely |
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Vetting and barring scheme postponed The implementation of the Independent Safeguarding Act (ISA) has been deferred for one year until October 2009. |
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ISRM eNews issue 112: 2 April 2008 |
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Young British swimming star Fran Halsall has endorsed the new, technologically advanced adidas swimsuits that the UK swimming team helped develop. |
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US pool tragedy leads to tougher legislation A six-year-old girl from Minneapolis, who suffered horrific injuries when she sat on a powerful pool drain last year, has died. Abigail Taylor's case prompted President Bush to sign a law in December banning the manufacture, sale and distribution of unsafe pool drain covers in the US. |
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Referees blow whistle on costs Football referees are calling for a greater level of funding from the FA to help subsidise their compulsory child-protection checks. They point out that cricket and rugby referees don't have to front the cost themselves. |
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Could the British cycling team teach the rest of us a thing or two about winning gold medals? An article in The Independent analyses their success. |
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Exercise is ‘Miracle-Gro’ for the brain A growing body of evidence points to the mind-boosting benefits of regular exercise, which include reduced stress and depression and improved intelligence and memory function. |
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The sports sector is being encouraged to respond to a Government consultation on informal adult learning, such as developing skills through playing or coaching sports, or volunteering at a club. |
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School field sales – ministers criticised More than 70 children's playing fields have been sold or are under threat, despite Government pledges to protect them, according to a Guardian report. Current and former Education Secretaries Ed Balls and Alan Johnson are believed to have personally agreed the sale of 19 school fields last year. |
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ISRM eNews issue 111: 27 March 2008 |
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Heading in the right direction? Sport England chief executive Jennie Price has welcomed the fact that the Department for Culture Media and Sport has broadly agreed Sport England's proposed 'direction of travel' for 2008-2011. The Sport England Board and External Challenge Group have also endorsed the strategy. |
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Pupils on target with PE lessons Eighty-six per cent of schoolchildren now take part in two hours' physical activity every week, exceeding Government targets, according to the 2006-07 School Sport Survey. Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe stated that this was up from 62 per cent in 2003-04. |
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Britain's Olympic boxing chief coach has claimed his team could become as successful as the Cubans by 2012, according to a Guardian report. |
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Olympic funding strategy under fire The National Audit Office has criticised the Government's Olympic funding strategy, arguing that the aim of raising £100 million through sponsorship may not be achievable. |
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The Government's Department for Children and Families has produced a 12-month implementation plan for its Aiming High strategy, which sets out the Government's long-term vision for the future of young people. The plan details the key actions to be taken by all agencies working to improve outcomes for youngsters. |
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The Government has clarified its official position regarding tendering out the management of sport and leisure services, in a written House of Commons answer about leisure trusts. |
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Applications are being invited for the 2008 Nancy Ovens Bursary, which offers the opportunity of further training for leaders and coaches working in the leisure industry. Application deadline is 6 April. |
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ISRM eNews issue 110: 19 March 2008 |
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Self-improvement seems to be the way forward for public sector sports services – which is why it’s worth reading Passion for Excellence, an improvement strategy for public sector culture and sport. The document, put together on behalf of the Improvement and Development Agency and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport - and supported by the Local Government Association - says that ISRM and other professional bodies are essential for delivering the framework. |
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The NHS has released the National Stroke Strategy, a document designed to make services better for people who have had a stroke. It's useful for all those working in the sport and recreation sector to ensure they are aware of how to prevent strokes and how to help quickly in emergencies. |
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Innovation award There's still time to enter the 2008 World Leisure International Innovations (WL) prize, which is awarded to organisations that have demonstrated originality and creativity in coming up with leisure opportunities and solutions that have benefited individuals and communities. The awards are particularly poignant as George Torkildsen, a highly-respected guru of the sport and recreation sector before his untimely death, was one of the first judges on the awards panel. For information about how to enter, click here. |
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How inclusive are you? Funding is now available for the private as well as public sector as part of the Inclusive Fitness Initiative, which seeks to ensure that people with disabilities have as many options when it comes to choosing a fitness suite as non-disabled people. There's more information here. |
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Getting girls energised The Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation has published the findings of its Energy Project, which researched girls' use of energy in school, with the aim of getting more of them active.
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Exercise yourself young The benefits of exercise don’t just stop at fitness. According to one study, getting physically active can slow down the ageing process, helping you look and feel younger. Meanwhile, a second piece of research showed that far from leaving us exhausted, a work-out can boost energy levels. |
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According to Guardian football columnist Digger (Matt Scott), Edinburgh's sports facilities are under threat, due to lack of investment, leaving it doubtful that it can achieve its 'active city' aims for 2020. Meanwhile, as a negative twist to Andy Burnham's appointment as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Digger suggested his move out of the Treasury meant sport had lost a great funding ally, as demonstrated by the Budget. |
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Despite claims that certain video games, such as Nintendo Wii Sports, are helping kids get active, they are no match for genuine exercise when it comes to fitness and burning calories, according to a wellness expert. |
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ISRM eNews issue 109: 12 March 2008 |
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The great pool question The ISRM is among campaigners who have long disputed official figures about UK swimming facilities. Following claims the Government vastly over-estimated the number of diving pools in the UK, a report in The Daily Telegraph revealed 40 per cent of the 171 listed pools were either closed or inaccessible to the public and Shadow Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson took the issue to the Commons. But the Government claims £250 million has been spent on pools in the last 10 years. In a Written Answer, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe stated a total of 354 pools have opened since 2004, while 164 have closed. |
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Meanwhile, Sport England has launched a report on preserving playing fields, adding weight to the feeling among many, including the ISRM, that the nation seems to be more concerned about losing playing fields than swimming pools. |
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Money, money, money Meanwhile, in two House of Commons Written Answers, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe was given the role of detailing Sport England’s latest funding streams and the amount of money being spent on regenerating school playgrounds. |
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London 2012 news Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell admitted during a Commons debate that she is unaware of figures which claim £1 million per week is being spent on consultants for the Olympics. She claimed that costs for the Games remain within their £9.325 billion budget. |
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Health and safety guidance This circular, issued in 2005, was designed to give further guidance on how to interpret HSG179. ISRM are currently in new talks with the HSE on how to interpret the guidance on continual supervision for swimming pools. ISRM are also in talks with European Committee for Standardization and British Standards Institution on the introduction of European Standards for the Design and Management of Swimming Pools and how the guidance should be interpreted in the UK. |
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DCMS says it is keen to reverse the ‘appalling drop-out rate’ of girls in school sport, by encouraging female participation in traditionally male sports such as tag rugby and cricket. |
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Lifeguard opportunities Have you taken advantage of two great events for your lifeguard team? Details of the ISRM Lifeguard Triathlon and National Pool Lifeguard Championships are available here. |
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A lack of funding has led to the closure of crèche facilities in six Edinburgh leisure centres, as councils try to claw back £300,000. |
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ISRM eNews issue 108: 5 March 2008 |
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Sir Steve's big issues Sir Steve Redgrave has been in the news this week, pointing out how impressed he is by the significant number of Olympic hopefuls within the Sporting Giants programme. |
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Sport England strategy Results of a consultation on the future strategy for Sport England have been published. The consultation with key stakeholders, including ISRM, followed Government calls for a more focused role for the organisation. Click here for the summary. |
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Framework for the future Sports Coach UK, the national foundation for coaches, has unveiled a new framework, which highlights the key areas for improvement if Britain is to develop a world-leading coaching system by 2016. |
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The key to Britain's success in swimming could lie in a new computer programme, which is specifically designed to help analyse technique and improve performance faster than previously possible. The system generates instant feedback that can be assessed at the poolside, and provides in-depth data about swimmers' technique. |
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Let's get physical Physical activity could help ward off age-related illnesses, according to two new studies. The first found the incidence of prostate cancer among men with active jobs to be significantly lower than average, while the second revealed that moderate aerobic fitness levels could reduce the risk of a stroke. |
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Facilities nose dive The Great Britain Diving Federation has added its voice to the campaign against the closure of swimming and diving facilities across the UK. The Government came under fire for muddying the waters over the number of genuine diving pools that exist. This lack of clarity over leisure services was echoed in a written answer by Dawn Primarolo, Minister of State for Public Health, who revealed that there was no central record of the costs or results of exercise referral schemes nationwide. |
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Corporate and commercial member directories now online We are pleased to announce that ISRM members can now access - through the members area of the website - both the commercial members directory, which includes website and email addesses (61 in total), and the corporate members directory, which includes a total of 343 organisations. Both directories are searchable by name, or by simply putting your cursor in the search box and hitting search. This will show all members in that category. Both commercial and corporate member directories will be kept up to date by head office. If you find your details or those of your organisation are inaccurate or out of date, please email info@isrm.co.uk. |
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ISRM eNews issue 107: 28 February 2008 |
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With the cost of the London 2012 Olympics estimated to reach £9.3bn, arts and sports projects are set to miss out on around £440m worth of funding that has been diverted from National Lottery coffers, according to a new report. |
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A new sports investment fund that will provide sustainable finance packages is being made available to not-for-profit recreation organisations. The unique range of loan, grant and support combinations offered by Futurebuilders will be extended to public service groups from April 2008. |
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MPs and peers have been invited to spend seven days each within prominent sports organisations as part of Sport England’s Parliamentary Sports Fellowship Scheme. This second phase of the scheme will see 15 MPs and Lords welcomed into the Football Association and the Lawn Tennis Association, among others, to gain a unique insight into their chosen sport. |
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Did you know that swimming and football are, respectively, the two most popular sports among young women and men? More than 23 per cent of women aged between 17 and 21 regularly take part in swimming, while the figure for the amount of football regularly played by the equivalent male age group is 45 per cent, according to figures from the 2005-06 Active People Survey. |
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Britons are still a long way off meeting the Government’s ambitious 70 per cent Game Plan target for regular exercise, with just 35 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women achieving 30 minutes of moderate activity five times a week, according to the most recently-available figures. |
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Get set for a weekend of protest marches and, hopefully, high-profile debate over the parlous state of Britain’s swimming facilities. In today’s Telegraph Duncan Goodhew brands the situation a 'scandal', while Stephen Franks, of the Swimming Teachers Association, refers to it as a 'national disgrace'. |
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ISRM eNews issue 106: 20 February 2008 |
| Will the 2012 Olympic Games really be the sustainable event it has promised to be? Shaun McCarthy, chair of the Commission for a Sustainable London, debunks the jargon about emissions, regeneration and partnership working. |
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A Scottish town is to receive a new £10.6 million pool, but it is feared that the development – in Montrose, Angus – will be to the detriment of other sports projects in the area. |
| Ronnie O'Sullivan's frank testimony has added weight to research that shows running can help beat depression. The snooker star claims it is the 'best therapy ever' and has helped turn his life around. |
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A Sheffield newspaper and local boxing club have teamed up in the fight against bullies. The Star and Sheffield Boxing Centre have united to deliver a campaign through the press, in schools and in the local community. |
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Researchers at Loughborough University are calling for greater investment in professional coaching schemes in order to ensure that the UK can meet its targets for sports development by 2016. A three-month study found that too great a proportion of coaches are unpaid volunteers due to a shortfall of paid positions. |
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Nakmas, the UK governing body for martial arts, has issued a warning over a lack of insurance among non-registered martial arts clubs. The association is urging karate club members – and the parents of younger members – to ask questions to ensure they are protected. |
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ISRM eNews issue 105: 13 February 2008 |
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Lifeguards at a Surrey swimming pool are up in arms after being banned from having social conversations with colleagues and customers, according to a report in the Woking News and Mail. |
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The new Secretary of State for Culture and Sport, Andy Burnham, received a rave review in the Daily Telegraph, while the appointment of Philip French as his special adviser has been welcomed by Guardian columnist Matt Scott. Meanwhile, Burnham is already facing up to the question he’ll probably be asked more than any other in his current role – how can the Government develop the legacy for mass participation in sport that is expected to result from the London 2012 Olympics? |
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Policy change for Youth Sport Games The Youth Sports Trust has agreed to lay on special events for children with learning disabilities at the Youth Sport Games – following complaints from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The Games already feature events for youngsters with physical disabilities. |
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Joined-up challenges on obesity Turning round the trends in child obesity requires drastic changes in behaviour and a level of joining up that the public sector finds extremely difficult to achieve. An interesting piece in The Guardian highlights this and some of the many other challenges. |
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Unborn babies are being added to a waiting list for heavily subscribed swimming lessons, according to a BBC report. |
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Exercise and the elderly The benefits of exercise for older people have been highlighted in two reports this week. The first shows that the life expectancy of the over-70s is not only determined by their lifestyle when they were younger – while the second says that looking after your health is three times more important than your genes in improving your chances of having an active life in your 90s. |
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Grassroots funding ‘paying off’ Make an investment in football facilities – and more people will play the game. This is the conclusion of a report by the Football Foundation which shows a 21 per cent increase in football participation at facilities that were upgraded as a result of their investment. |
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Sport Relief – get stuck in The countdown is on to Sport Relief 2008 – and there are some materials here that will help you publicise any events you are involved in organising. |
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ISRM eNews issue 104: 5 February 2008 |
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Olympics round-up A new school might be built at the site of the London 2012 Olympic Games (read more), while concerns over funding rumble on. These are among a number of items in this week’s Olympics round-up. ODA defends pay (The Telegraph) Games loan to be repaid by 2022 (BBC) Anger over aquatics centre (The Times) |
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Football’s grassroots failings Whatever the result in Wednesday night’s England’s match against Switzerland (which is taking place as eNews is mailed out), it seems to be generally accepted that Britain’s young footballers are suffering from something of a skills deficit. An interview in The Daily Telegraph with Sir Trevor Brooking, the Football Association’s technical director, examines some of the grassroots problems. |
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Schools’ sporting challenge The amount of progress made in encouraging schools to take part in school sport was debated in the House of Commons last week, while Kelly Holmes has suggested that a shift away from traditional clothes could revolutionise girls’ sport. But finding enough teachers and coaches to improve school sport may be the biggest challenge of all. |
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‘Punter power’ is the way forward for Britain’s sports and arts institutions, says Andy Burnham, the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in his first interview since taking over the post. |
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Some of the world’s leading experts in coaching, sports medicine and sports science spoke at the Irish Institute of Sport’s inaugural high performance conference. |
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Sport and health roundup If you want to live nine years longer, then go for a daily jog (read more). This is among a whole batch of items here that highlight the impact of sport and physical activity on the nation’s health. Obesity toolkit - (IDEA) Walking cuts colon cancer risk (Reuters) Get in shape! (Intelihealth) GPs too busy to offer advice (The Times) Bosses in the spotlight (The Independent) Activity 'reduces ageing' (inthenews) |
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Funds to end ‘no ball games culture’ A report about additional Government money being made available to help sports colleges improve their facilities (read more) is among a number of items here on funding for sport – at home and abroad. English cricket gets £30m boost (BBC) International inspiration (UK Sport) Sport worth £15 billion (Sport England) |
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The UK’s first playground specifically for older people has opened in Manchester. |
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ISRM eNews issue 103: 30 January 2008 |
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Future choices to beat obesity Further to our report last week, there are more details here on the Government’s £372 million strategy to promote a healthy society across all life stages and sectors – from education to health, sport to transport – in a bid to curb the obesity epidemic. |
| Britain is struggling at sport because we are short of quarter of a million professional coaches, according to a report in The Times. |
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Scottish sports merger defended The plan to bring together sportscotland and the Scottish Institute of Sport will cost less than previously estimated, the Scottish Sports Minister has claimed. |
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More than £400,000 was spent on funding the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation in 2006-07, according to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This was just one of a number of investments aimed at promoting greater levels of physical activity among women, a House of Commons Written Answer reveals. |
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Former Sports Minister Kate Hoey notes in The Daily Telegraph that six-and-a-half hours were allocated for sports-linked debates in Westminster during one week alone, suggesting that perhaps sport really might be starting to move up the political agenda. |
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British swimmers looking for continuity in the build-up to the Beijing Olympics will be relieved to hear that Michael Scott’s six-month role as national performance director for swimming has been extended through until after the Games. Meanwhile, a permanent replacement for Bill Sweetenham is still being sought. |
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TV game show to boost funds for sports charities A new digital TV game show promises to raise money for UK sports and recreation projects through lotto ticket sales. In Sweden – where the format originated – the show has raised almost £1bn for charities and sports organisations since 1991. |
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ISRM eNews issue 102: 23 January 2008 |
| National targets to drastically increase activity among children are being planned by the Government, which is pledging to offer youngsters five hours of ‘organised exercise’ a week, as well as providing funding to ten so-called ‘fit towns’. |
| Remember the moving promises from Sebastian Coe about the 2012 Games inspiring a new generation of sports enthusiasts around the globe? Now Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced the development of ‘International Inspiration’, starting with five pilot schemes in India, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Palau and Zambia. |
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Judging by the raft of Government announcements about obesity this week, it’s perhaps not surprising that a special Cabinet committee for health and wellbeing has been established, including 10 secretaries of state. |
| A new £17 million Olympic-size swimming pool is to open soon on Merseyside, following hard on the heels of the unveiling of a new 50-metre facility in Cardiff. |
| Children were among a group of swimmers taken to hospital after a chemical spillage at a swimming pool in east Leeds. |
| Any further increase in the Olympic budget will not come from the National Lottery budget. This was the promise made by Culture Secretary James Purnell in the House of Commons this week as he announced the latest 2012 funding proposals, some of which has involved money being diverted away from other causes, including Sport England. |
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There were plenty of interesting insights into Parliamentarians’ views on participation in sport – and particularly school sport – during a House of Commons debate this week. |
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ISRM eNews issue 101: 16 January 2008 |
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Olympic hopes and fears Opportunities for regional centres to act as training venues - and inevitable claims and counter-claims about funding issues - are among the Olympic-related stories hitting the headlines this week.
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Still unclear about the Government’s strategy for participation in sport and physical activity? Some clarification of the role to be played by the Department of Health in promoting physical activity among older people has been offered in a House of Commons written answer. |
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Is behaviour at kids’ football matches getting worse? Or are more matches being abandoned because referees are refusing to put up with the outrageous antics of some parents. The Independent is one of a number of newspapers to report on so-called ‘turf wars’. |
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50 per cent increase in value of sport Don’t underestimate the economic value of sport. According to Sport England, it’s worth more than £15 million a year to the nation’s economy. |
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The sad truth about Jones’ legacy The shame of sprinter Marion Jones – and the impact of her cheating – has been debated at length this week, not least by The Telegraph’s Sue Mott, who points out the implications for the whole sport of athletics. |
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Counting the cost of sub-standard pool water A Scottish local authority has admitted full responsibility for a cryptosporidium outbreak at one of its public swimming pools – and faces a £100,000 compensation bill. |
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Need help at your facility? Contact ISRM Consultants... It’s the start of a new era for ISRM Consultants, with a range of new services. CLICK HERE for more information. |
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ISRM eNews issue 100: 9 January 2008 |
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We’re 100-up! This issue marks a century for eNews, which is brought to you by the ISRM team each week and is designed to be a snapshot round-up of items of interest – some obscure, others right in the public eye – for those of us working in the sport and recreation profession. We’re always interested to receive your feedback, so do email us any thoughts at enews@isrm.co.uk. |
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Bang on message for 2008 The findings from two surveys will encourage people to think about ways to improve their health this year. First, improved diet could save 70,000 lives a year (read more) and second, taking exercise and eating and drinking the right food can add 14 years to your life (read more). |
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The Liberal Democrats are highlighting concerns that property developers are exploiting a loophole in rules designed to protect playing fields, according to a BBC report. |
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Pointing the way forward? Are you looking for clarity about the Government’s strategy for the future funding of sport – and its views on increasing levels of sports participation? If so, Sports Secretary James Purnell’s letter to the Local Government Association may help (read more), along with some interesting written answers from Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe that reveal how much some organisations are receiving from Government (read more). |
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Swimming updates A number of swimming-related items of interest have been in the news in recent weeks. Jurors at an inquest into the death of a schoolboy were unable to decide what caused an 11-year-old boy to drown at Thame Leisure Centre, in Oxfordshire (read more), while firefighters fought a blaze in a swimming pool plant room at a house in North Sydmonton in Newbury (read more). Meanwhile, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe has spelt out the levels of central funding support for life saving organisations (read more), and what steps his Department is taking to encourage people to participate in swimming (read more). |
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Olympic countdown It’s only a few months now until Beijing – and just four years to London 2012. We’ve got a range of links on stories relating to the Olympics here. |
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ISRM eNews issue 99: 18 December 2007 |
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Treasury’s sporting role In all the publicity about the changes in the way that sport is organised and funded, the role of the Treasury in the new set-up has not received much coverage. But, according to a written answer given in the House of Lords last week, ‘Her Majesty’s Treasury is leading the development of a cross-government physical activity strategy for all’ (read more). Meanwhile, more evidence of the threat facing Sport England came in Health Minister Dawn Primarolo’s response to a separate question (read more). |
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Costs in the Lawn Tennis Association’s elite development department shot up by 68 per cent last year – not least because of the high salary paid to Andy Murray’s former coach Brad Gilbert, according to press reports. |
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Olympics chief talks through budget cuts Slashing the cost of the Olympic stadium, cutting £50 million off the roads and transport infrastructure bill - and scrapping a temporary fencing facility - are among the ways that London 2012 organisers are keeping the project in line with its financial targets. John Arnitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, told The Daily Telegraph that organisers had to cut almost £800 million from the budget to stay on track. |
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Anyone running a sports venue will be interested to hear about new fingerprint recognition systems introduced at the Carnegie Leisure Centre and the Pitreavie Stadium in Dunfermline, Scotland. It’s believed to be the first time the hi-tech bio-metric security ID scanners have been installed at sporting venues. |
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It looks like Sportscotland is to escape – at least, partially – the cull of quangos announced by the Scottish National Party when it came to power last May. According to reports, Ministers have been impressed by the argument that a single organisation is needed to drive forward improvements in Scottish sport. |
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Most 11-year-olds are now reaching the National Curriculum target of being able to swim 25 metres – but some groups of pupils are missing out, according to an Ofsted report of primary schools (read the report). It says that schools need to involve families and religious institutions to get more youngsters swimming. |
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Could we be seeing an end to the ‘no ball games’ culture in Britain’s schools and playgrounds? This seems to be one of the aims behind the Government’s new Children’s Plan, which claims that £385 million will be spent on improving playgrounds and youth clubs over the next three years. |
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Questions over Olympics’ equal opportunity policy While 160,000 people have registered their interested in becoming a volunteer in the 2012 London Olympic Games, Conservative MP Angela Watkinson raised the case of her constituency secretary who was told that she was ‘too old’ when she tried to offer her services. Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell has apologised for what she described as a ‘shocking and no doubt wholly unintended offence’. |
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How’s your plain English? The Local Government Association marked National Plain English Day by publishing a list of 100 words that public bodies should not use if they want to communicate effectively with local people. From ‘can-do culture’ and ‘cautiously welcome’ to ‘top-down’ and ‘transformational’ we’re sad to say that we’ve heard almost all of them – and used quite a few too… |
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The average monthly direct debit for public gyms in London is £37.46, while for private gyms it is 46 per cent higher at £54.62. This is among the findings of a new report from the Leisure Database Company. |
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ISRM eNews issue 98: 11 December 2007 |
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Women’s participation set to tumble The amount of women taking part in sport and exercise is set to fall by 5.5 per cent by 2017, according to a major new report. Sue Tibballs, chief executive of the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation, said she hoped the report would alert Government, the media and the sport, health and education sectors to the scale of the challenge involved in reversing the current trends . ‘We will be using this report to stimulate a debate in the sport sector and beyond about how more women and girls can be encouraged to become and stay active.’ |
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A £50 million campaign to regenerate competitive cricket in state schools is paying off, an independent study has revealed. Researchers from Loughborough University’s Institute of Youth Sport found that Chance to shine, which works through cricket clubs to provide 50 hours of coaching and competition for each school, had brought widespread benefits on the playing field and in the classroom. |
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Active parents, active children? Active parents are more likely to raise more active children, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. The report suggests that helping parents to increase their physical activity may promote more activity from children by the time they are 11 or 12 years old – although it acknowledges that the amount of proof about links between active parents and active children remains ‘modest’. |
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Another authoritative voice has entered the debate about the rights and wrongs of pushing child athletes to the limit. Reacting to the story about an eight-year-old Chinese girl who ran 4,000 kilometres over two months, a senior representative of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education has expressed his concerns. ‘They are children, their bodies are still developing, and they are vulnerable to the consequences of over-training.’ |
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Feeling depressed? Then take more exercise. This is a conclusion to be drawn from new findings, published in the journal Nature Medicine, which show that exercise seems to increase the production of naturally occurring brain chemicals with anti-depressant effects. |
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It’s worth being physically fit – even if you’re overweight. According to a new study, overweight and obese elderly people outlived their contemporaries – even the thin ones who weren’t physically fit. ‘There is perhaps too much focus on body weight, and fitness is only an afterthought,’ said one of the researchers in findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
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Maintaining physical activity in middle age means people will have better physical abilities as they age. This is among the findings from a UK study that proves a direct link between levels of physical activity in middle age and physical ability later in life – regardless of body weight. |
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Heatstroke and the tragedy of a charity cyclist A cyclist died while taking part in a charity ride on one of the hottest days of the year, an inquest heard. It was revealed during the hearing that an ambulance took an hour to reach 31-year-old Patrick Royle after he came off his mountain bike towards the end of the 58-mile trip from south-west London to Oxford. |
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Fund to help keep kids out of trouble The Government is putting up funding worth £420 million to pay for more places where young people can get active – instead of causing trouble. The funding, allocated across the country by Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes, will pay for projects such as skate parks, basketball courts and music workshops in disadvantaged areas where young people are at risk of getting into trouble. |
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It’s CPD submission time Have you completed your CPD submission yet? All submissions, which are sponsored by Arch Water Products, are due to be finished by the end of December. Click here for ideas and inspiration. |
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ISRM eNews issue 97: 5 December 2007 |
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Mapp’s parting shot Soon after the Government indicated a change in direction for Sport England - as reported in last week's eNews - the funding body's chairman, Derek Mapp, resigned. Mapp, who had only been in the post for 13 months, said he felt that Sport England had been making progress in its drive to get two million more people active by 2012. It has been announced that Richard Lewis, the former executive chairman of the Rugby Football League, is to carry out a full review of Sport England’s funding priorities (read more). Meanwhile, Jennie Price, Sport England’s chief executive, has paid tribute to Mapp (read more). |
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Mini-tennis, seen as integral to the Lawn Tennis Association’s plans to develop a better talent pipeline, is not all it’s cracked up to be. This is the charge from a body representing many of the UK’s tennis coaches, which says the National Competition Framework, using orange, red, green and yellow balls and multi-sized courts, might also be flawed. |
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Welsh pools to close Two swimming pools are to be closed in Wales, it has emerged. The facility at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff is to be turned into a judo centre (read more), while Torfaen council has revealed that it plans to close Blaenavon pool, because of the high cost of repairing damage to its roof that was caused by storms in January (read more). |
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One-third of the office-based staff at UK Athletics – up to 40 people - are set to lose their jobs. Announcing the restructuring plan, chief executive Niels de Vos, said the governing body had become a ‘little bit public sector’, in that it had ‘expanded to fill the available space’. |
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The words ‘legacy’ and ‘Olympics’ seem to go hand-in-hand in many circles – and now the Government has launched a new £40 million fund, called Legacy Trust UK, to promote the arts and sport to young people and communities. |
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Fears over missing £100 million The Government needs to raise an extra £100 million from the private sector for the UK’s elite athletes – or Britain’s target of finishing fourth in the medals table will be ‘difficult to achieve’. This is the warning from UK Sport chairman Sue Campbell, who has warned that £100 million of the £600 million package has yet to be found. |
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ISRM Conference and Exhibition 2007 - see the photos! Photos from this year's Conference and Exhibition - held at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest - are now online in the gallery. Conference presentations are also available to download as PDFs. |
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ISRM eNews issue 96: 28 November 2007 |
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Badminton has seen a revival in popularity following the rise of Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms to become the world's number one-rated pair. More than 12,000 youngsters are due to take part in this year's National Inter-Schools Championships – twice the number that entered last year. |
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The Department of Health and the Home Office are joining forces to work on a campaign aimed at highlighting the dangers of drinking too much alcohol. The Know Your Limits campaign also aims to get across the message that excess alcohol can result in a 'beer belly' or a 'wine waist'. |
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Despite the success of several professional boxers in recent months, supporters of boxing are struggling to have it included on the National Curriculum as part of the physical education module. The Edexcel Foundation is claiming that injuries inflicted in boxing are intentional, meaning the sport is unsuitable for assessment at GCSE level. |
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'Runner's high' is good for the heart Opioids – endorphins and other substances released during physical exercise – may help protect people from heart attacks. While the 'runner's high' has been recognised for some time, the University of Iowa now says that these opioids may be responsible for the cardiovascular benefits of exercise. |
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Warning over post-Olympic drop-off Sports leaders have raised fears that the 2012 Olympic Games will fail to rejuvenate participation in sports once the event is over. The chief executive of British Swimming and the chairman of UK Athletics have both expressed concerns that a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' will be lost. |
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School leavers abandoning sport The government has admitted that there is a huge drop-off in participation in sport after youngsters leave school. Questioned by Lib Dem MP Don Foster, Gerry Sutcliffe of the DCMS published figures showing that 80 per cent of 17 and 18-year-olds are involved in active sport – compared with just 52.3 per cent of those aged 19 and over. |
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Cultural shift needed on female sport About 80 per cent of women do too little exercise, according to a report that also says men are twice as likely to be involved in competitive sport. Following the report, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a 'cultural change' to change females' attitudes to sport. |
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The Government has been accused of a U-turn on plans to get two million people active – so more money can go towards producing sports champions of the future. The culture secretary James Parnell reportedly wants to water down plans to increase participation in sport. |