The London 2012 Olympics were meant to inspire the next generation of stars like Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill.
But instead, its sporting legacy has been betrayed by Tory cuts.
The last 10 years have seen participation in sports plummet, facilities forgotten and physical activity flatline.
In 2012, ministers were “committed to delivering a sporting legacy for young people and to bringing back a culture of competitive sport in schools”. But since then, statistics show:
- Sport England, the public body that promotes sport, has had its funding slashed by 44%.
- Council spending on sports and recreation facilities has plummeted by 60% because of government cuts.
- 36,000 fewer hours of PE are being taught in England – by fewer teachers.
- The proportion of adults participating in sport has declined.
Ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham later this week, Labour MP and shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell accused the Conservatives of a “decade of neglect”.
She said: “The London 2012 opening ceremony celebrated what was great about Britain and we were promised a golden age in British sport in its aftermath by Conservative ministers. Instead we’ve had a lost decade of grassroots sport and recreation as a result of government failure.”
Sport England figures say fewer than half of children take part in physical activity for an hour or more every day.
And some 2.3 million – or around a third – did less than 30 minutes’ exercise in 2020-2021. Swim England has warned that 2,000 pools – almost half of all those in the country – could shut by the end of the decade unless their ageing facilities are replaced or refurbished.
Local councils, which run most pools and leisure facilities, now face increased pressure because of rising energy costs.
And within the next 12 months, 85% of leisure operators fear they will be forced to stop operating completely.
Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: “Urgent intervention is needed to prevent council-run leisure facilities from closing under cost-of-living pressures.
“Coupled with long-term investment in sport, this will help inspire people to be more active for generations to come.”
Paul Kirton, of Grassroots Football UK, said ministers had invested in training venues that many people can’t afford to use. He said: “It’s the simple things that make a big difference. Only those living and breathing grassroots football will know how to do that.”
A DCMS spokesperson said: "Over the past decade, we have made the nation's health and fitness a priority.
“We provided an unprecedented £1 billion to ensure the survival of the grassroots, professional sport and leisure sectors during the pandemic, and prioritised their reopening to ensure access remained available to all.
"We have recently announced £320 million for the schools PE and Sport Premium for 2022/23, and more than £250 million to build or upgrade thousands of grassroots football pitches and tennis courts across the UK."
