SPORT £12m windfall for grassroots sport


Sport England has given a boost to grassroots sport with £12m being awarded to spe- cialist organisations which help to get people more active. Te funding will be made


available over the next two years to seven organ- isations which are Sport England’s National Partners and focus on equality, diversity, coaching, talent, workforce development and safeguarding children. Sports Coach UK will


benefit from £5m, while The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) will receive £2.3m. Other organisations to get a share of the bounty are the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), SkillsActive UK, Sporting Equals, SportsAid and Women In Sport. Sport England’s chair, Nick Bitel, said:


“We are confident these investments can add real value to sport. Investing in our National Partners enables sports’ national govern- ing bodies and other partners to receive


Sport England chair Nick Bitel announced the £12m funding


bespoke support to help them offer more opportunities and meet their targets to get more people playing sport more oſten.” EFDS says for the next two years, the


extra funding boost will allow them to continue to focus on insight, engagement and inclusive marketing communications, to get more people with disabilities into exercise. Details: http://lei.sr?a=C2P6v


England weary of 2026 bid under Blatter


Football Association (FA) chair Greg Dyke has said England is considering a 2026 World Cup bid, but on the basis of certain conditions. England – which unsuccess-


fully bid for the 2018 World Cup, gaining only two of 22 votes – would only bid again on the main proviso that Fifa president Sepp Blatter is no longer in power come the time of the next bidding process. Dyke said that the


appointment of former Manchester United Football Club chief exectuive David Gill to Fifa’s executive com- mittee could prove favourable towards England, but struck a cautious tone. He said: “Te policy is straightforward – we


don’t bid while Mr Blatter’s there.” The bidding for both the 2018 and 2022


World Cups were mired in controversy, with allegations over corruption resulting in the resignation of Fifa executive Jack Warner and an investigation into corruption over the bidding process. Te findings announced by FIFA cleared Qatar of World Cup corruption charges, while


© CYBERTREK 2015 Fifa president Sepp Blatter is currently seeking a fiſth term in office


England was said to have ‘violated bidding rules’. Blatter is seeking a fifth term in office. If


re-elected in May, he would oversee the 2026 bidding process, which will take place in 2017. “To make a bid you’ve got to get whoever is the


government onside, and we don’t know who that is yet because they have to underwrite it,” added Dyke. “Also, there’s a lot of money involved, so if you haven’t got a chance, don’t do it.” Details: http://lei.sr?a=h8m4c


Twitter: @leisureopps Maggie Alphonsi is seen as a sporting role model


Rugby star Alphonsi joins Women’s Sport Trust


Women’s rugby star, Maggie Alphonsi, has become a patron of the Women’s Sport Trust to help in the charity’s quest to bring parity to women’s sport in the UK. Alphonsi, who has three times been a


Rugby World Cup finalist and won the competition in 2014, said she is honoured and excited to take on the role. “I do passionately believe that


everybody should have the opportunity, if they want it, to take on their own sporting challenges, have their own amazing experiences and learn the lessons that sport is so good at teaching us,” she said. “Sport has given me so much and


taught me so much that I am really pas- sionate about helping to make sure that as many other people as possible get the opportunity to pursue their dreams.” Alphonsi, who retired from rugby last


year, is now turning her attention to the shotput for the Olympic Games in Rio. She will be using her experience as an elite sportswoman to help the charity raise the visibility of women’s sport. Details: http://lei.sr?a=7R6r9


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital 3


Britain’s canoe elite get new world-class facility


Britain’s best canoe sprint athletes now have world-class facilities to train in aſter Sports Minister Helen Grant opened a new elite centre for British Canoeing at Dorney Lake near Windsor in Berkshire. The £679,000 Tim Brabants Elite


Training Centre, was funded by Sport England, which has worked closely with elite sport experts from UK Sport and British Canoeing to give the athletes a world class, purpose-built training venue. Te new centre features male and female changing and showers, disability changing and showers, a warm-up area, athlete rest and recovery area, plus a medical treatment room. Details: http://lei.sr?a=V6E7B


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