We’re bigger than football and deserve more money
CHAIRMAN Paul Bush is demanding extra funding for Team Scotland because our Commonwealth Games heroes are more popular than football.
The games kick off on the Gold Coast in the early hours of Friday morning, the end product of a £2million investment in 230 athletes and a stellar backroom staff making the trip Down Under.
After 53 medals in Glasgow and an expected haul of 30 in Australia, the Commonwealth Games Scotland supremo insists they deserve more of the nation’s backing – and he has stats to back up why.
Bush said: “We’re a success-driven team now and funding is very much success driven as well.
“This role was in great shape when I inherited it after 2014 but we’ve got to be in even better shape when we move forward to 2022, 2026 and 2030 to protect Scottish athletes.
“The journey is really important. It can’t just be one hit and away. If you think of London 2012, Glasgow 2014, this and then Birmingham 2022, we’ve got a phenomenal opportunity to build momentum for Scottish and British sport.”
Team Scotland commissioned a poll in the wake of the Glasgow Games to gauge their public perception.
Bush added: “We’ve done some research with yougov where the Scottish public see the Commonwealth Games as No.1 – believe it or not, ahead of football, which might surprise you. What we have here is special.”