Bill Walker: Without help we will be fit for nothing

Published on Wednesday 16 June 2010 10:01

WHEN Edinburgh secured the right to host the 1970 Commonwealth Games, sport in Edinburgh took on a new role and anticipation grew among sportsmen and women about their chance of reaching new levels. The new facilities were purpose-built for sport, and a far cry from the previous need to find a church hall that would allow anyone to play a game of badminton. The only washing facilities at the old Meadowbank Track, at a championship, were two buckets of water in a tent that everyone shared.

At its opening, Meadowbank was declared a "white elephant" by many citizens and some councillors, a comment many must have regretted when they saw so many people using the facilities once the Games were over.

They offered 24 sports all in one international-standard venue and over the years produced world class sportspeople in at least 14 different sports.

It was common to find Meadowbank hosting three international events on one weekend and attracting maximum numbers of spectators at every event, with Lochend Park having to be used as an overflow car park. The interesting factor was that budding "sports stars" came from all walks of life and I gained great pleasure in assisting youngsters to represent Scotland and even higher levels.

However, the most satisfying role was seeing youngsters from some of the poorer areas in the city, who had no qualifications, gradually change their attitudes and become very successful citizens. The discipline required to gain success at any level in sport is a factor often overlooked by the city fathers and their officials. I have no doubt that the lower role now given to sport in our schools is one reason why class discipline has fallen. It is not surprising now that the majority of successful young sportspeople come from the private schools, where sport still plays a key role.

The community was also catered for at Meadowbank, with keep fit classes and spectator-oriented events such as a visit by the Harlem Globetrotters and the Davis Cup Tennis Tournaments. The Edinburgh Highland Games also attracted the crowds.

The 1986 Commonwealth Games did not produce the same stimulus for sport as the 1970 Games. This may have been due to the "cloud" which hung over the organisation, with no real financial support. The final result was that facilities were reduced, with nothing gained.

Current management are in a more difficult role compared with those who ran it under the direct control of the council. The early objectives were measured by getting more people through the doors at an affordable cost. Currently, I believe, success is now measured more by the income obtained, which has led to many of the so-called "minority sports", being no longer available at Meadowbank, replaced by more of the community activities, which bring in more money. Costs to train regularly are fairly high for any serious sportsperson who should be training six days per week. This is reflected in the drop in standards in many sports.

Most other countries I have visited provide large subsidies for their sports facilities, which allow individuals free access or affordable costs. In Cyprus, a very small country, they manage to produce international athletes, and some of the "gate money" from football matches is used to support other sports.

Meadowbank saved money by not carrying out the maintenance required and cutting back on staff that could service equipment. The council was keen to sell off a successful Meadowbank and replace it with a smaller facility at the edge of the city. Local people and sportspeople objected and were partly successful in retaining it on its present site. This was of course assisted by the current recession. The council has invested 1.45 million in upgrading some facilities and services, which is welcome, but a longer-term investment is required to keep it functional.

The Meadowbank budget is so tight that it cannot afford field scoreboards to allow spectators to follow what is happening when five events may be going on at the same time. Meadowbank does own three international field scoreboards, but they cannot be used as the power supplies required to operate them were condemned last November. The main scoreboard in the arena is on its last legs.

These problems also affect other sports that use the indoor halls. The floors in Halls 2 and 3 are now at the end of their life and not suitable for most sports. The scoreboards in all the halls have not been maintained and fail to provide spectators with information.

In the current economic climate, Edinburgh Leisure and the council cannot afford to bring the facilities back up to a level suitable for Edinburgh sportspeople to reach the standards required for the Olympic or Commonwealth Games in 2012 and 2014. Many sports facilities around the country are sponsored by major companies and this is an area that could be explored to help Edinburgh back to its previous position in sport.

The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 will mean no cycling velodrome in Edinburgh, and therefore no more Chris Hoys from Edinburgh. Glasgow has invested in sport over the years and has gradually overtaken Edinburgh in most sports. Fortunately, my sport of athletics is still managing to hold its own as we are one of the top female clubs in the UK. This is despite the current costs for admission but mainly due to the commitment of the large band of voluntary coaches who regularly assist the youngsters.

The overall result, if no action is taken, will be that fewer people will be attracted to participate in sporting activities, at any level, which will lead to more obesity and ill health in future generations.

Bill Walker is head coach of Edinburgh Athletics Club