Wrong tack about sailing access

SUSAN Egelstaff is rightly positive in her admiration of Andy Murray’s hard-earned success (Murray: the price he pays, the debt we owe, Sport, January 27).

However, she lists sailing among sports that are “inaccessible to all but the extremely wealthy”. This is insulting to the volunteers and athletes who are striving to make sailing accessible to everyone.

Scotland has around 200 sailing clubs, run by volunteers from all walks of life. The essence of the sport is about participation for all, regardless of wealth or physical abilities.

All of Scotland’s sailing clubs welcome new members wherever they come from, and strive to offer access and training to all.

The UK’s success in sailing at the Olympic Games has been underpinned by this accessibility, and consistent efforts put in by our top and emerging performers and their coaches, including many Scots. Ewan Macpherson Banchory “It is quite hard work to continue to be always on the negative side of public opinion … In the UK the independent sector has gone through quite a bruising time and I can’t quite see that changing.” Frances King on why she is quitting as head of Roedean, a £33,000-a-year private girls’ school “Positive discrimination in favour of state school people has become the hatred that dare not speak its name. That’s why politicians who went to public schools now want to disown them. People use the ladder to get up and then kick it away.” Dr Anthony Seldon, head of Wellington College, says privately educated pupils are missing out on Oxbridge places due to bias