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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
53 governments gather to promote development, peace and integrity in sport
Commonwealth Sports Ministers will explore ways to promote development and peace through sport, as well as review action on issues such as illegal betting and match fixing, when they meet in Glasgow on 21 July.
The 7th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting, which takes place two days before the official opening of the 20th Commonwealth Games, is an opportunity for Ministers and senior officials from 53 nations to bolster policy and investment in the area of sport.
Ministers will review national action plans and best practices in the field of sport for development and peace, and international action on integrity in sport, including governance and transparency, the safeguarding of participants, and prevention of match fixing. Creation of legacy opportunities from major sporting events will also be on the agenda.
Commenting before the Meeting, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma stated: “There are great benefits from investing in sport and physical education. Sport can improve health and well-being, reducing the prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. It can also be a vehicle for strengthening communities and support peace-building in post-conflict environments.
“Sport is an important tool for advancing education, gender equality and youth empowerment, and can ensure social inclusion for minority and marginalised groups, such as people with disabilities. The Commonwealth places emphasis on the place of sports policy as part of the international development agenda.
“This is also an important time to take stock of international and Commonwealth efforts to build consensus and collaboration in improving governance and transparency, safeguarding participants, and curbing illegal betting and match-fixing in sport. Our goal is for the outcomes of our discussions to set priorities for governments and sports bodies across the globe.”
Policy tools and guidebooks published by the Commonwealth Secretariat will be presented at the Meeting, including The Commonwealth Guide to Advancing Development through Sport. Barbados, Rwanda and Sri Lanka are among those countries already using these guidelines to develop national action plans.
Ministers will also consider recommendations from the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS), a 14-member group of sport experts from across the Commonwealth, which gathers in Glasgow on 18-19 July. The group is headed by Louise Martin CBE, Chair of Sportscotland.
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