According to The Telegraph, Greg Bernstein, the interim chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Football Reform, has expressed concerns about the challenges faced by the new government. Bernstein stated that the reform and governance of football is an issue that has widespread support across the nation. To ensure there is no backtracking on current government policy, a letter was submitted to the leadership candidates seeking reassurance.
Earlier this year, the government made a promise to release a white paper followed by legislation to establish an independent regulator for English football. Premier League clubs are scheduled to meet this Friday to finalize details on their “New Deal for Football.” Although they have not yet received a mandate to proceed, the clubs generally support plans to increase payments for lower tiers in exchange for infrastructure investments instead of salary increases.
Executives are also anticipating updates on the government’s fan-led review, particularly with a new prime minister in office.
Grass-roots and public leisure crisis
Grassroots sports clubs and leisure facilities have been severely impacted by Covid and are now facing an additional threat due to soaring energy prices. They are warning of widespread closures, which would lead to a crisis in the country’s physical and mental health if targeted government support is not provided. Any price increases for fitness and leisure facilities would only contribute to increased inactivity among the millions of people who rely on them.
The Football Association is urging Liz Truss to fulfill Boris Johnson’s commitment to allocate £550 million to improve grassroots facilities. Following the Euro 2022 final, there has been a significant increase in demand for women’s football, with over 20 million viewers watching the Lionesses triumph at Wembley.
Gambling review
The government has promised the biggest review of gambling laws since 2005, including the possibility of banning betting sponsors on football shirts. However, final proposals for reform have been repeatedly postponed due to Conservative leadership turmoil. A recent survey conducted by Clean Up Gambling revealed that 70% of respondents believe the White Paper for gambling reform should be expedited.
Matt Zarb-Cousin, director of Clean Up Gambling, has urged the new Prime Minister to take credit by announcing the long-awaited Gambling White Paper. Despite recent deals between Fulham, Everton, and betting firms, it is likely that sponsors will continue to be allowed on sleeves in the top tier of English football.
School sport
Liz Truss will be urged to prioritize addressing the inactivity crisis among children and young people. A recent report by The Telegraph revealed significant differences in sports provision between the private and state sectors, with independent schools offering more opportunities for sport and higher chances of achieving success at an elite level. A parliamentary committee has recommended elevating the role of sports minister to a cabinet post and granting physical education (PE) core subject status in the national curriculum, highlighting its wider life-changing benefits.
Currently, almost a third of children are considered inactive, and many parents are unaware that their children should engage in at least an hour of physical activity per day. The Youth Sports Trust is calling on Truss’s government to prevent the decline of PE and ensure that schools provide a minimum of two hours per week. They are also advocating for funding to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds access more after-school sports and make facilities more readily available outside of regular school hours.
Dementia in sport
It has been nearly three years since the University of Glasgow established the link between football and dementia, with former players being 3.5 times more likely to develop the disease. The usual threshold for recognizing a disease as an industrial injury is when former participants are twice as likely to develop the illness compared to those who did not work in the industry.
A parliamentary committee has criticized the Health and Safety Executive for delegating risk management to independent sports governing bodies and neglecting their duty. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is currently studying an application to classify dementia in football as an industrial injury, and they are expanding their investigations to include rugby union and boxing.
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