SPORTS MINISTER CALLS FOR SPORTS CHAMPIONS

For Immediate Release: Friday 15 October 2010

Attn:  NEWSDESKS
        CONFERENCE / POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS

The VoteforSport Campaign gained many new pledges today at the SNP Conference when Public Health & Sports Minister Shona Robison signed on the dotted line to pledge her support and called for MSPs and PPCs to champion the role of sport.

The campaign by the Scottish Sports Alliance has the backing of politicians of all parties and hopes to harness the power of an estimated 12,000 sports clubs in Scotland and an estimated 900,000 Scots who regularly participate in one or more sports, to promote the life-changing and nation-building value of sport.

MSP and PPCs pledge to recognise the unique role, value and potential of sport in Scottish society and upon my election to the Scottish Parliament I will act as a Scottish Sporting Champion throughout my term in Parliament.

In addition to this, the Scottish Sports Alliance is also asking members of the public to sign up to www.VoteforSport.com to demonstrate the importance and value of sport to Scottish society.

Sports Minister Robison, who has recently returned from the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, where she supported Team Scotland and also joined an initiative to encourage children in slum areas of East Delhi to take part in sport, said: “I have seen at first hand how sport can be a means of communication among all ages and all nations. It can build nations and unite peoples across the social divides but above all it can transform the lives of individuals.

“Sport is an activity, a fun pastime, a promotor of health but it is far more than that. It is something we can work towards to make each of us, our school, team, community and country the best we can be.

“Sport brings people together in common purpose as a team, it allows us to achieve. For many, it can provide meaningful goals for life which are otherwise missing.

“In the run up to the next election the SNP is calling on everyone across Scotland to work together to be part of a better Scotland.  Together we can make Scotland better and through sport we can make Scotland the healthier and stronger nation we all want it to be.

“I am delighted to sign the pledge and hope to persuade many of my SNP colleagues attending the conference to do the same.”

Shona is one of the speakers at a fringe event at the SNP Conference in Perth on ‘Scotland’s Sporting Chance’ with British Lions rugby legend Scott Hastings and Kim Atkinson, Policy Director of the Scottish Sports Association.

Commenting in advance of the fringe event, Kim Atkinson said: “Sport is undoubtedly Scotland’s greatest social movement; with 1 in 5 people in Scotland, some 900,000, a member of one of our 12,000 sports clubs.

“VoteforSport will give this constituency a voice for the first time in Scottish elections and allow us to promote the value of sport to the electorate throughout the country.”

Scottish Sports Association Board Member & former Scotland Rugby International Scott Hastings commented that “if this campaign is to succeed we need to encourage sport in all areas of society and recognise the huge impact that sport has on our nation.

“There are many things that need to be done but having sport on the political agenda could significantly benefit the health of our country whilst promoting Scotland’s sporting profile.

“2011 is a huge opportunity for all those involved in sport, from the local community clubs up to the highest stage to promote sport as a campaign issue. I urge everyone who plays, spectates or just loves sport to log on to www.voteforsport.com and pledge their support to show Scotland truly cares about sport.

“My vision is to see every school child playing sport in Scotland on a regular basis every week and that sport is accepted as part of Scotland’s future well being.”

ENDS

Notes:

The Scottish Sports Alliance is the collective voice of the Scottish Sports Association, Scottish Universities Sport and the Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils.

Collectively the three organisations represent 55 Governing Bodies of Sport; 17 Associate Sporting Organisations; 55 Local Sports Councils; 16 Scottish Universities encompassing 150,000 regular volunteers, 12,000 sports clubs and 900,000 men and woman who regularly participate in sport in Scotland.
 
Further information from website: www.VoteforSport.com
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