Ni Chuilin: £25m fund will be carved up fairly
Evidence of loss required, while disbelief over Rea SPOTY snub
SPORTS Minister Caral Ni Chuilin has insisted that the NI Executive’s £25m Sports Sustainability Fund will be administered fairly and that firm evidence of financial loss during Covid-19 will be required in order for clubs and governing bodies to avail of the cash.
Applications for the Sports Sustainability Fund open today, with the aim to help those in the sporting world who have been impacted by the pandemic.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph about the Fund, which will be administered by Sport NI, the Minister said: “This Fund will provide the sports sector with the financial support it needs to ensure it can cope with and recover from the impact of the Covid restrictions and the ongoing challenges the pandemic is presenting.
“The Sustainability Fund will provide much-needed support to alleviate financial hardship and go some way to meeting the financial needs of the sector. It will be transparent, equitable, evidence-based and specific to Covid-related losses.
“People will have to produce evidence, and from that evidence they will receive funding. That’s the best and only way I want this done. The evidence is vital. I have a responsibility for auditing public money and this is a lot of money.
“I have no doubt there are many, many needs and I want to make sure the application process is proportionate to the needs of the different groups. That is very, very important.”
The Communities Minister has also asked for Sport NI and sports governing bodies to take a “collegiate approach” to “ensure these much-needed funds are distributed”, and she has pointed out that she expects a balance to be struck with the funding where men’s and women’s sport is concerned.
“When I was talking to the sporting bodies last week I said to them this money isn’t just for hairy legs on pitches and that the gender balance needed to be struck. I have also protected funding assigned to Disability Sport NI and Special Olympics whose activities have been severely impacted during the pandemic,” said the Sinn Fein politician, who hopes that the positive news of a vaccine offers light for all involved in sport.
“As the vaccine rolls out, and the most vulnerable and frontline staff need to get it first, we still need to be vigilant and follow the health advice and guidance. This is not going to be easy, but it will certainly hasten the full return to sport and I think that is to be welcomed.
“I hope it is seen as a sign of hope for people in sport, whose work in helping others during this pandemic has been fantastic.”
Ms Ni Chuilin stated that she was “really disappointed” that Northern Ireland’s World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea had not made the shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, believing he was “a shoo-in”, and congratulated the Northern Ireland women’s team on qualifying for the Euro play-offs.
The Sports Minister added that she feels there is much for our sports stars to look forward to in 2021.
“I hope that everyone right across the community will continue to support our sporting heroes because they give so much to us,” said Ni Chuilin.
“We have big events to look forward to where our sports stars will hopefully excel like the Olympics and Paralympics.
“I have a big love for boxing and it would be fantastic if both Carl Frampton and Michael Conlan could win world titles in 2021. Think of all the youngsters they inspire, and that’s the same for all our sports stars.
“I’m also looking forward to seeing the building of Casement Park. Genuine sportspeople, regardless of the code they are involved in, will want to see the stadium built, and I hope we all get behind the Ulster GAA to make that happen.”
For more information on the Sports Sustainability Fund, please visit the Sport NI website at www.sportni. net