Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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First day of decade of British sport - Culture Secretary calls on everyone to play their part
The first day of 2009 marks the start of what promises to be a fantastic decade for British sport. Culture Secretary Andy Burnham spoke today of how a decade of investment has set up a golden decade of sport. Mr Burnham said that Britain's sporting success and the advent of major events makes it the best ever time to get involved and called on everyone to make a contribution through playing sport, coaching or volunteering in their communities.
From this year's World Twenty20 Cricket, through London's Olympics, to the Ryder Cup and the cricket World Cup, the next ten years will provide British sports fans with an incredible range of world class sports events. It will build on the country's success at the Beijing Olympics, and has London's inspirational Games at its heart.
But not only does 2009 mark the start of a succession of international major sporting events, it also heralds unprecedented investment in elite and grassroots sport and the start in April of free swimming for the under 16s and the over 60s in England.
2009 will also see schools across the country take strides towards offering all schoolchildren five hours of sport a week. In 2008 the Government's target of getting 85% of school children to do two hours of sport a week was surpassed, an achievement which provided the foundation for the five hour offer.
Mr Burnham said:
"2008 was the year when people around the world noticed that Britain was back in business in sport. It has been the best year for British sport in living memory and the Queen's New Year Honours list rightly reflects the achievements of our star performers. Of course elite success is down to individuals but a decade of Government investment in sport at every level has helped to set up this success.
"There are three key elements to achieving sporting success. These are getting the grassroots in shape, international elite success and hosting major events. For the first time in a generation we have all three elements in alignment.
"We've really raised the bar and now it's important for us to build on this. 2008 must not be a one-off, and we will go on to other major successes as we head towards 2012. There has never been a better time to take up sport and we want everyone to make it their New Year's Resolution to contribute to the growing success story that is British sport. This may be by taking up sport, becoming a coach, volunteering or introducing a friend to something new. We all have a part to play.
"The Prime Minister called for a decade of sport and it's fantastic to have it underway. We now have a real chance to make Britain a true sporting nation and we must grab this opportunity with both hands."
Key events in the UK decade of sport are:
2009 - European Mixed Team Badminton Championships,
Liverpool
2009 - Junior and Cadet World Fencing Championships,
Belfast
2009 - World Modern Pentathlon Championships,
London
2009 - ICC World Twenty20 Cricket
2009 - UK School
Games, Wales
2009 - Wheelchair Tennis World Team Cup,
Nottingham
2009 - Modern Pentathlon World Championships,
Crystal Palace
2009 - Sailing RS:X and Techno World
Championships, Weymouth
2009 - Artistic Gymnastics World
Championships, London
2010 - Women's Rugby World Cup,
London
2010 - Goalball World Championships, Sheffield
2010
- European Water Ski Championships, Thorpe
2010 - European
Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Birmingham
2010 - World
Wheelchair Basketball Championships, Birmingham
2010 -
European Individual Badminton Championships, Manchester
2010 -
Ryder Cup, Celtic Manor
2011 - Badminton World Championships,
London
2012 - London hosts Olympic and Paralympic
Games
2013 - Rugby League World Cup (bidding for)*
2014 -
Commonwealth Games, Glasgow
2014 - Ryder Cup,
Gleneagles
2015 - Rugby Union World Cup (bidding
for)*
2018 - Football World Cup (bidding for)*
2019 -
Cricket World Cup
Notes to editors
1. Since 2001 over £1 billion of public money (exchequer and lottery) has been invested into building or upgrading 4,000 sports facilities.
2. Exchequer funding for community sport has increased by over 700 per cent in the last 10 years. In 1997 / 98 it was £50 million but now it stands at over £400 million a year.
*These events are at bid stage and are not yet confirmed.
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http://www.culture.gov.uk
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http://www.culture.gov.uk
