National Conversation on Sport: Cross-party support for putting sport at the heart of Scotland's pandemic recovery

Calls to put sport at the heart of Scotland’s recovery from the covid pandemic have been given cross-party support from three of Scotland’s biggest parties ahead of the next election.

There are calls for the new Scottish government to put sport at the heart of recovery plans

The Scotsman has backed the Observatory for Sport in Scotland (OSS) manifesto urging the next government to put inclusive, community sport for all at the heart of the national recovery.

The OSS, Scotland’s only research think-tank on sport, has produced research and analysis showing that almost 50 per cent of the adult population take part in no sports activity and highlighting that poverty is now the main barrier to participation in Scotland.

And there are direct links between this lack of physical activity and health, education and the economy, with high rates of obesity. The expectations are that these impacts will only be exacerbated by the pandemic.

There are fears of a ‘tsunami’ of mental health problems as a result of so many people being isolated for so long, while participation rates in sport amongst pupils forced to miss almost an entire year of school could plummet.

Their research has shown that Scots are among the most active national in the world - until the age of 11. By the age of 18 we are among the least active nations in the world.

Something needs to change, from changing the the way out leisure trusts are funded and operated to ensure greater inclusion for all to greater strategic planning at a national level focussing on the impact sport and exercise can have on the nation’s health – and financial benefits that can be achieved from that.

The OSS manifesto calls for a ‘National Conversation’ in order to bring Scotland together, to enable discussion and debate, learn from international examples and bring a newfound cohesion to how we learn from good practice here and abroad, to enable the country as a whole to identify the best way forward.

They are urging the incoming government to set up a multi-stakeholder National Sport Forum to focus on ‘Building Back Better’ with sustainable models for community sport, leisure and recreation; Set out a commitment to using research and evidence to guide and monitor sport policy; and organise a ‘National Conversation into the Role of Sport in Scottish Society’: a nationwide consultation to engage people from national to community levels - notably non-sport organisations - in discussion on how community sport activity could and should support health and wellbeing, education and the economy.

The new government is also being urged to support policies such as closer work between health and sport facilities, more work on tackling community sport regeneration, using sport to help with health inequality and making greater use of the outdoors to promote recreation.

The Scottish Labour Party said a National Conversation on Sport was something they would support to “ensure that access to sport is available to all communities across Scotland.”

Jackie Baillie, a former Scottish Government Minister for Social Justice and now Scottish Labour Health spokesperson, said: “At all ages sport builds relationships, strengthens our communities and improves our health.

“Labour’s national recovery plan is focused on extending healthy life expectancy for people across Scotland and ensuring every community has access to sport and exercise is central to this.

“Labour will develop a new Active Scotland Plan, to promote active travel, Right to Play and access to school sports facilities, supporting every community to have access to at least one open a freely available local space for sport and recreation.”

Scottish Conservative Shadow Sport Spokesman and former Olympic runner Brian Whittle welcomed the idea and said: “Sport is at the heart of our communities across Scotland and we must ensure we rebuild from the pandemic as a more active and healthier nation.

“The Scottish Conservatives are committed to doubling sportScotland’s funding over the course of the next Parliament. That will help support grassroots sport and encourage our next generation of athletes to pursue their dreams.

“We will also enshrine a fair funding deal for our local authorities in law. Over their 14 years in charge, the SNP have slashed council funding which has meant the closure of many vital community leisure facilities.

“That only means fewer and fewer opportunities for people in our deprived communities to get into sport.

“The Observatory for Sport’s manifesto is welcome and shows how improving people’s involvement in sport can have a positive impact on many other aspects of our society.

“As a competitive runner and a qualified coach, I have benefitted from sport and want to see that passed down to others. If re-elected, I would hope to take forward a national conversation through the important work on the Cross Party Group on Sport.”

And the Scottish Greens said they backed the idea of a National Conversation on SPort but wanted to go further and until sport into public health policy.

Scottish Greens health and sport spokesperson Alison Johnstone, an athletics coach and a former competitive athlete, said: "I warmly welcome the calls from the Observatory for Sport in Scotland. Scottish Greens believe sport and outdoor activity plays a huge role in the nation's wellbeing and the prevention agenda.

"Our manifesto commits to appointing a minister for sport, increasing free access to sport for children and older people, a greater role for social prescribing by doctors and transforming our town centres so they are safer for walking and wheeling. Access to quality green space is also essential.

“This is only possible with investment in grassroots sport and the removal of barriers to access for everyone.”