Britain’s most successful ever Olympian, Sir Steve Redgrave, is to champion the drive to get more people playing sport, as a lasting legacy of London’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and the country’s ‘golden decade of sport.’
The five times Olympic rowing champion will become the Government’s ‘2012 Sports Champion,’ advising Ministers and sports bodies on increasing participation at all ages. This will be one of the key benefits from London staging the Games in three years time.
Sir Steve’s appointment builds on Government work including record public investment in sport, more children getting active in school, the £140 million free swimming scheme and an overhaul of sports delivery structures.
He will be supported in his work by six Olympic and Paralympic medalists, whose existing roles as School Sport Ambassadors, working under the auspices of the Youth Sport Trust, will be expanded beyond the school gates to meet and inspire young people to take up sport throughout their daily lives.
They are:
* Darren Campbell and Jason Gardener, sprint relay gold medalists at Athens in 2004;
* Gail Emms, badminton mixed doubles silver medalist in Athens;
* Joe Glanfield, silver medalist in the 470 sailing class at Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008;
* Sascha Kindred, who won 11 swimming medals (six gold) at four Paralympic Games from 1996 to 2008;
* and Denise Lewis, heptathlon gold medalist at Sydney in 2000.
Sir Steve Redgrave said:
“2012 is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change the habits of a nation and get across to everyone why sport and physical activity matters. This is a great responsibility but a great opportunity as well. I want to work with those who have the task of making sure the benefits happen from hosting the Olympics and Paralympics but I won’t be afraid to ruffle feathers if I need to. A lot of good work has already been done – but there is no time to lose.”
The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, welcomed the appointment of Sir Steve:
“Sir Steve Redgrave is not only one of Britain’s greatest ever Olympians, but one of the greatest Olympians of all time – a man who has touched the lives of generations around the world with his remarkable dedication and his track record of sporting excellence.
“He is exactly the right man to harness the power and reach of the games and help inspire the nation to become more actively involved in sport and help deliver a fantastic legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games once the flame has left London.”
Ben Bradshaw, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said:
“Steve Redgrave, working with our six School Sport Ambassadors, will champion the cause of getting more people playing sport as one of the key long-term benefits from hosting the Olympics and Paralympics – and challenge us to make sure that we achieve this.
“He will use his stature as the only Briton to win gold in five consecutive Olympics to ask hard questions of Government and those with responsibility for securing the benefits from 2012, as well as challenging everyone to get more active.
“Building on huge public investment in school sport, new facilities and projects for us all, as well as our potential medalists, this is a sure sign of our commitment to get the most out of 2012 – a lasting benefit for generations to come.”
Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics, welcomed his new role:
“Sir Steve Redgrave is our greatest ever Olympian and one of the country’s strongest advocates for sport at all levels, so it’s great news that he’s taking up this role. After all, who better to inspire people to take up sport than a man who won five golds in five separate Olympics? As sports champion Steve’s insight and determination to succeed will play an invaluable role in helping us deliver on our promise to use the Games to motivate all of us to do more sport.”
Sir Steve will become a member of a new legacy delivery board that will oversee programs designed to achieve the Government’s target of getting one million adults playing more sport and getting young people to do five hours of sport inside and outside school, as well as the free swimming initiative, and ensuring that new sports venues in the Olympic Park have a long-term use for the whole community.
The board will include representatives from the Government, delivery bodies like Sport England, the Youth Sport Trust and UK Sport, 2012 organizations including the British Olympic and Paralympic Associations, and external groups like the CCPR and the Local Government Association.
Source: Department for Culture, Media And Sport
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