FIA FOCUS
THE YEAR AHEAD
DAVID STALKER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FIA
What lies in store for the fi tness industry in 2010?
P
redicting the political and policy future for the such is the current direction of policy, and the fundamental
fi tness sector at the beginning of a year is never drivers behind it, that we can be (reasonably) confi dent
easy. Throw into the mix a general election, of the continued prominence of our industry and physical
an uncertain economic climate and the agenda of a new activity promotion, both now and long into the future.
government (irrespective of its colour) and ‘not easy’ The fact is we have a population that’s getting older, fatter
starts to feel more like ‘impossible’. and less healthy, and this means only one thing: increased
However, looking into my crystal ball and with lots of costs for the management of healthcare. This is now as
help from the FIA public affairs team, here are my top four accepted as the need to fi nd a way out of the economic
predictions for 2010. depression, or the need to discover a cure for cancer.
The strategic battle regarding our role in the delivery of
ALL CHANGE, NO CHANGE prevention and remedial ‘medicine’ has been won; it’s
– AND OPPORTUNITY the tactics that will now be debated and fought over. At a
Like it or not, whatever happens at the general election will local level, where the battles will be won and lost, physical
bring about a seismic change in the dynamic at Westminster. activity and health have never been higher on the agenda.
More than 100 MPs have already cried off from the battle, 2010 will be a watershed year for us: either the fi tness
declaring they’ll stand down at the general election, and a industry as a whole will aim to make itself a key delivery
similar number are expected to follow suit. Combined with partner, or else we’ll see some ignoring this agenda while
the anticipated political swing, this means we’re suddenly others view it as an opportunity not to be missed. It
faced with the likelihood of a 40 per cent turnover of faces will be interesting to see how we evolve collectively and
in Westminster. individually over the course of the year.
The outcome of the election, currently tipped to be The door is open because any organisation or sector
held on 6 May 2010, is not as certain as it may seem – but that demonstrates innovation and entrepreneurialism, and
whatever happens, we should expect it to introduce new that produces evidence that effi ciency in current practice
impetus to the debate around public health. However, can be improved, will be welcomed. As an industry with
48
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196