Sportscotland to provide extra £1.5m in crisis support
Sport scotland has announced an extra £1.5 million in support for sports governing bodies (SGBS) to help them through the coronavirus crisis.
Scotland’s national agency for sport will provide more details of the fund in the coming weeks.
The agency had already provided sports bodies and local partners with access to their final six months of annual investment without the usual targets and outcomes attached to the £16m funding.
Chief executive Stewart Harris said in a statement: “Scotland’s sporting system has shown incredible resilience during this difficult period. It has been far from easy for SGBs, local partners and the wider sporting system, but there has been a shared commitment that has allowed us to continue to make progress.
“That work is ongoing and there are still a number of challenges that lie ahead.
“We remain in the middle of a public health emergency and the virus has not gone away, but the early release of this funding along with the relaxation of all associated targets and the creation of the SGB Covid Support Fund, will allow our partners to fully focus on the challenges ahead. We all want to see sport return safely and we will continue to do all that we can to achieve this.
“The coming weeks and months will be crucial if we are to build on the progress that has already been made and to ensure that we can get back towards something like normal.”
Sport scotland says the investment, which is funded jointly by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery, will help protect 1,600 jobs.
Discussions are also ongoing with local partners to identify any further support that maybe required and sportscotland is continuing to progress plans for the safe return of a number of sports inline with public health guidance with online training modules set up to help.
Indoor training facilities, gyms and swimming pools are now able to re open subject to meeting safety requirements.