OLYMPICS LONDON 2012: Moynihan wants increase in school sport focus

By Sportsbeat staff, London 2012

LORD Moynihan is calling for an increase in budget and provision within school sport curriculums to cement the London 2012 Olympic Games legacy across the capital and the UK.

LEGACY: Lord Moynihan wants home Games to be used as inspiration across British schools to better futures of next Olympics generation

The British Olympic Association chairman wants to create practical opportunities for young people to find their way into sport, with better facilities and opportunities used to encourage children to increase their physical activity.

After Great Britain’s best day at an Olympics for 104 years on Saturday, Lord Moynihan, who won silver as a cox of the men’s eight at Moscow 1980, called on the government to deliver more resources as there will never be a better opportunity to inspire young people.

“The thing that will determine how London 2012 and these Olympic Games is viewed in this country is of course the much used word legacy,” said Lord Moynihan, who was Minister for Sport under Margaret Thatcher.

“In terms of legacy from the point of view of high performance sport, it is a journey on which we have embarked on for nearly eight years and I see real pluses in terms of high performance sport.

“What is absolutely important, and the focus for those in power, is to make sure the thousands of kids from Lewisham to Loughborough to Leeds, right across the country, able-bodied and disabled, are not only inspired by sport, which the outstanding performances have delivered, but that that inspiration is translated into participation.

“That requires a step change in sports policy, that requires everybody who works with those in power to focus on making sure we have a stronger sports in schools policy.”

Lord Moynihan called for local authorities across the country to prolong the services available for young people, and keep school playing fields open while increasing the amount of routes into sport.

“It is in schools that we can translate inspiration into participation. We need better facilities, more access to facilities, not closing playing fields and giving the young people of this country an opportunity to take the inspiration they are feeling the length and breadth of the country and to turn that into greater participation,” Lord Moynihan added.

“We then can help them develop their talents and ultimately see the best of them shining on the Olympic stage in the future.

“We want all of them to be champions in their lives and that to us is a really important objective. If we can’t do something about it as a nation now, we never will.”

© Sportsbeat 2012