Athletes criticise plans to cut £162m sports funding

A host of top athletes have slammed government plans to reduce school sports funding.

In a letter to prime minister David Cameron that was published in the Guardian, the sports stars said they could not stand by and watch this being done.

Athletes against this policy include swimmer Sharron Davies and boxer James DeGale.

"With one ill-conceived cut you are on the brink of destroying everything schools, clubs and the national governing bodies of sport are doing to ensure this and future generations embrace sport and physical activity not shun it," they wrote.

They noted that by removing funding, the government is also taking away the next generation of coaches, sports leaders and volunteers.

Writing for the same newspaper, former education secretary Estelle Morris said: "This policy has delivered the best schools sports programme the country has ever seen, yet the funding that made this possible will be devolved directly to schools and the essential infrastructure that made the partnerships work will be dismantled."
 

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