Still time to ensure legacy of Games

Commitment to long-term economic, cultural and social benefits should be renewed and enhanced

Central to Scotland’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2014 was a commitment to long-term legacy. It was not enough that the event was itself a success, but that there would also be benefits – economic, cultural and social – lasting well into the future.

A key element was greater participation by young people in sport. The initial impact appeared to be encouraging. Many schools and youth groups were inspired to take up sport. In A Games Legacy for Scotland, the Scottish Government outlined a ten-year period to 2019 focused on four national themes: flourishing, active, connected and sustainable.

Lofty words. A report on the evaluation of the Games legacy in 2015 found that early decisions to ensure local people could access opportunities and venues appeared to have paid off. There was some evidence of a “demonstration effect” of increased interest in sport and exercise. Membership of sports governing bodies represented in the Games had increased. And population statistics also showed a rise in physical activity in adults – the first increase for a number of years.

But doubt has now been cast on whether this was the start of a long-term trend of improvement, with the impact looking to be rather less successful than hoped. Holyrood’s health and sport committee has found that too many barriers remain to greater participation in sport across Scotland. A lack of time, shortage of facilities and the cost were found to be the biggest factors. And while the work of volunteers and the Active Schools programme was praised by MSPS, the committee also found a “mixed picture” on the planned sporting legacy.

“It is disappointing,” says committee convener Neil Findlay, “that the tremendous enthusiasm of volunteers in supporting the Commonwealth Games has not been converted into a legacy of ongoing participation in voluntary activity, especially in sport. It’s also disappointing to learn that there are still issues around accessing the school estate and that this valuable resource is not being utilised to its full potential.”

It was inevitable that while a major “one-off event” commanding huge public enthusiasm would have inspired initial good intentions, follow-through was not sustained by a programme of annual sporting competition to maintain widespread interest and enthusiasm.

Long-term uplift also requires trained and dedicated teaching and training staff and a sustained commitment by schools to upgrade sports facilities: a tall order given the budget constraints under which both schools and councils have had to operate.

However, the report should not be seen as a final legacy verdict but rather an appraisal of work that still has to be done and suggestions for improvement. It deserves attention and acknowledgment to help ensure that the commitment to longer term benefits of those wonderful Games is renewed and enhanced.