Published: 30 September 2013
sportscotland has today (Monday) published its four-year investment figures for the 17 Commonwealth Games sports for the Glasgow 2014 cycle.
The figures reveal that during 2011-15 sportscotland’s investment into the 17 sports increased by 23.46 per cent to over £38 million compared to 2007-11, when it was under £31 million.
The announcement comes as sportscotland Chair Louise Martin, Chief Executive Stewart Harris, and the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport met senior representatives from the Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport at the new Glasgow National Hockey Centre to discuss final preparations to ensure the Games deliver a successful sporting legacy for the people of Scotland.
This record investment has helped ensure that the athletes in Team Scotland will be the best ever prepared in the history of the Commonwealth Games, and better equips the sports to deal with the anticipated membership rises and demands on the sports as a consequence of Glasgow 2014.
sportscotland, the national agency for sport, is financed by the Scottish Government and National Lottery. During the last financial year, 2012/13, its budget was £80,344,000. The Scottish Government accounted for £49,336,000 (61.4%) of its investment, with the remaining £31,008,000 (38.6%) coming from the National Lottery.
As well as helping with the preparation in the run-up to the Games, the additional investment into the sports assists the governing bodies with their capacity building and planning for the post-Games period.
sportscotland works closely with all 17 Commonwealth Games sports on governance to underpin their performance and development strategies, and the increase of seven million pounds over the four-year Glasgow cycle to £38 million augments this process.
Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland, said:
“Our four-year investment into the 17 Glasgow Games sports has risen to over £38 million thanks to Scottish Government and National Lottery funding, which is a significant increase compared to the previous four-year cycle.
“sportscotland is putting record levels of investment into the 17 Commonwealth Games sports, and this allows the governing bodies to work with key local partners to increase capacity and cope with the expected growth from Glasgow 2014.
“By increasing investment levels into the sports by more than 23 per cent, we are playing a significant role in ensuring that the athletes who will be selected for Team Scotland will be the best ever prepared at a Games.
“It also allows the sports to enhance their governance, which underpins their performance and development strategies.”
Shona Robison, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, said:
“Record levels of investment are being put into Commonwealth Games sports in Scotland - an extra seven million pounds for next year.
“We are committed to delivering a meaningful, lasting legacy from the Games in 2014. This additional investment will ensure our sports clubs, volunteers and coaches are well prepared to cope with the anticipated interest in sport in 2014 and beyond.
“Last year was fantastic for Scottish sport but this must not be the high-tide mark. The Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport are going from strength to strength and I now expect to see the most prepared, most organised and most successful Team Scotland ready for the 2014.”
Jon Doig, Commonwealth Games Scotland Chief Executive, said:
“Commonwealth Games Scotland has strongly supported the case for additional investment in the Glasgow 2014 Games cycle.
“We are delighted to see the result of this additional investment in performance sport bearing dividends in terms of athlete performances in 2013, with many athletes reaching Commonwealth Games selection standards.
“This augurs well for 2014 when Team Scotland hopes to have its biggest and most successful team ever at the Games, making the whole of Scotland proud.”
Welcoming the announcement, Craig Burn, Chief Executive of Scottish Cycling, said:
“The funding that Scottish Cycling receives from sportscotland helps us to deliver our vision of being the ‘best performing small cycling nation in the World’. Their support also allows Scotland to succeed on the world stage, inspiring more people to enjoy riding their bikes, more often, be it for sport, recreation or transport.
Since April 2009 Scottish Cycling has seen our membership grow by 142% and we believe that Scottish success on the world stage, through medal achievements and major events, has inspired a new generation of cyclists. I have no doubt this will continue in the lead up to and after the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
In addition to these achievements we have a variety of development and participation programmes combined with ever improving services for cyclists, clubs and event organisers.”
