Sports quangos earmarked for abolition
The Conservative Party has pledged to unify the “complicated” administration overseeing sport with an “accountable” and “transparent” single “British sports foundation”.
Dubbed “a one stop shop” by Shadow Minister David Davis – who carries the party’s brief on sport – the BSF would replace the “wasteful and duplicated structures” with a foundation overseen by a minister for sport.
In doing so, Mr Davis argued, more than £8 million of funding could be saved to foster more participation in sport and boost Britain’s best sportsmen and women.
UK Sport, the promoter of Britain’s best athletes, Sport England, which overseas fostering sports participation, and the regional sports boards would be scrapped under the Tory plans.
“At the moment, too much money is wasted on unnecessary bureaucracy in sport,” Mr Davis said.
“By restructuring sport in the UK, we will be able to channel money directly to increasing participation and developing sporting excellence.
“Our policy will offer real choice and lead to highly-motivated and high-quality support to encourage talent and interest.”
The Tories also pledged to introduce an independent body to monitor drug abuse in sports, and separate those funding the sport from those punishing cheating. The plan has the backing of the former head of drug-free sport at UK Sport, Michelle Verroken.
Shadow Sports Minister Lord Moynihan said the sports foundation would tie together “the best and most experienced administrators in British sport under one roof”.
“A fit-for-purpose one-stop shop, lean, efficient and accountable, it will champion the voluntary sector on which sport in the United Kingdom is founded.”
A spokesman for the Government said yesterday: “We have a very clear and successful system in place which allows us to focus on our priorities – strong grass roots and success at the elite end.”
“Both UK Sport and Sport England have already undergone significant reform.”
