SPORT TO BE CONTROLLED BY GOVERNMENT
Dear Reader
Some months ago I wrote article about the “Death of Amateur Sport” which is featured below. I sent thousands of emails and letters to Sports Organisations, Press, TV, MP’s, Clubs and individual out of all that I received 2 replies. Most people would then say either no one believes me or worse no one cares, so give up. Well I will give it one more try because basically the British have the attitude that “I am alright Jack” and they have total faith in Government and its institutions, the first attitude is born out of laziness and complacency and the second is mistaken trust especially into today’s climate. The British Government along with their partners The European Union have an obsession with controlling every aspect of an individuals life from Cradle to the Grave, unlike previous dictatorship like Communism and Nazism who imposed their will with the Gun and the Whip, The European Union along with NU Labour are still a dictatorship and impose their will by stealth with the individual having no say.
The Club Mark which will not only be a National directive but an EU one is already imposing its use as a means of control on the individual once again through stealth. The Club Mark is backed by Sports Governing Bodies, who in turn are backed by Sport UK who in turn are backed by NU Labour Government. Reports are already circulating that Clubs who do not have a Club Mark will in the next few years be barred from using Council Facilities and Schools, how long before the local village Hall will bar non Club Mark clubs, Schools are already told not to recommend a Club that does not have a Club Mark, next will be Councils, it has already been said that no club without a Club Mark will be able to applying for grants. So amateur clubs will not be able to practise their specific sport unless they join a Governing body and apply for a Club Mark at considerable cost which most small clubs will ill afford BUT I hear you say “it is not a legal requirement to have a Club Mark” true but how do you run a club or start one when you can not get a VENUE?
So what will happen to Sport? Will it collapse? NO it will be controlled by the Local Authority or the Local Education Authority or maybe franchised to a large Corporation all clubs will be closed and these authorities will run Sport by hiring coaches and running lessons the cost to the individual will be expensive either by charging the Sportsman a rate which cover costs or it will go on Tax to subsidise the venture and the only people to gain will be the paid Bureaucrats and the government who will have even more control of your life. The Duke of Edinburgh said several decades ago that it is the amateur volunteer/helper who is the backbone of Sport, this still true today and when the backbone is removed the body will collapse.
There is only way out of this mess is to have a New Government and withdrawal from the EU and bring back Democracy to the people.
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Are we seeing the death of Amateur Sport?
This may seem strange questions after one of our most successful Olympics ever and with the UK hosting the 2012 Olympics. Yet the British Olympic committee have said there has been a drop of 20% participating in Sport and remember the Olympics is now open to Professionals. So the word amateur sportsman is now a defunct name for Sports people? Yes in top sporting events to reach the top of the main sports you have to be professional but there are still people who are participating in Sport whether as a coach, competitor, participants who are at a level where they receive no financial gain in fact doing there sport costs money.
My feeling are that unless things change rapidly Sport participation is to sink to even lower levels especially with the under 16 years. Let give an example:
Ask yourself the question how many local Football teams started with a couple Dads kicking the Ball around a park other lads join in, some weeks down the line some one comes up with the idea let’s form a Team and join a league. A new team is formed which give the youngster discipline, sense of belonging, pride and all the other things sport can give.
Could that happened today? If it can what would they needed
1) Kit
2) Professional Indemnity Insurance to protect the coach
3) Accident Insurance for all the players
4) Public Liability Insurance
5) Coach Qualification
6) Club Mark
7) Join a league
Club Mark what is that I hear you say? Surely that is not a legal requirement No not yet but without a Club Mark you will most probably get no grant aid, it will be difficult to get insurance cover and the local schools will not recommend your club. Recently a member of my Judo Club the Young Judo Club asked the Person in charge of all the local SSCo (School Sports coordinator) why we were not on the recommended list she informed him that the Government has told them not to recommend any Club without a Club Mark! Yet our Club is over 50 years Old and is World Famous and never had a visit from this person, someone I might add who is paid by the local Tax Payer so much for Democracy in the UK. Our Club is lucky it has sufficient funds and expertise to get a Club Mark from both the British Judo Association and Kent County Council.
What is a Club Mark this basically a Kite Mark so people can recognise a Club has some basic standards, this in itself is not a bad idea but why do we need the HEAVY HAND of a dictatorial state
Here are some of the things require for a Club Mark Must have two qualified coaches , Two Volunteers must attend a course on running a club and how to be a volunteer, CRB Check, attend Child protection Course, has an open/non-discriminatory constitution and equity policy , The coaches and volunteers responsible for the programme have job descriptions with
Clear roles and responsibilities assigned. I could go on and this all for a group of people who want to help kids get involved in Sport and doesn’t finish there by 2012 all Coaches will be expected to have United Kingdom Coaching Certificate with prices up to a £1000 I wonder how many people will take up the offer.
All my facts can be checked by going to on the internet, after readings this am I right in saying amateur Sport will soon be dead? Or am I just a cynic but don’t say you have not been warned
Well Dads do you still want start that Football Team?
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
No comments:
Post a Comment