Overview

The Governance of Sport Bill aims to improve the governance, regulation, and safety within the UK's sporting landscape. It covers a wide range of issues, from governing body accountability and athlete welfare to cyclist safety and the protection of playing fields.

Description

This bill significantly impacts various aspects of UK sport. Key areas include:

Governance and Regulation of Governing Bodies

The bill mandates higher standards of governance, accountability, and transparency for sporting governing bodies, requiring things like fair representation of stakeholders (athletes, supporters etc.), proper election processes, and the establishment of athletes' commissions and audit committees. It also introduces a standard of review for governing body decisions similar to that of public bodies.

Athlete Welfare and Protection

The bill addresses athlete welfare by promoting equal prize money for men and women, and able-bodied and disabled athletes, and by introducing regulations around sports agents and the ability of under-18 athletes to enter legally binding contracts. It also includes provisions to improve safety for cyclists and includes stronger anti-doping measures, with increased penalties for violations.

Sporting Event Integrity and Betting

The bill aims to tackle match-fixing, bribery, and corruption in sport by strengthening existing laws and introducing licensing for sporting event betting. This includes stricter regulations around advertising and trading in the vicinity of major sporting events.

Facilities and Infrastructure

The bill emphasizes protecting playing fields and promoting access to sports facilities, including measures to protect playing fields from development and improve cycling safety through infrastructure improvements and training. It also aims to boost physical education in schools and improve links between schools and local sports clubs.

Merger of UK Sport and Sport England

The bill proposes creating a single entity, "Sport 2022," to merge UK Sport and Sport England, aiming to streamline the delivery of sporting programmes and strategies.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't specify exact figures for increased government spending. However, it mandates increased investment in cycling infrastructure (2% of the Highways Agency budget), potentially increased funding for national sports teams to meet compensation obligations for clubs releasing athletes, and resources for implementing new regulations and oversight. The creation of "Sport 2022" might lead to some restructuring of existing budgets.

Groups Affected

• Governing bodies of sport: Increased accountability and regulatory burdens.
• Athletes: Potential for increased protection, equal prize money, and stricter anti-doping rules. Under-18 athletes will have new rules governing their contracts.
• Sports agents: Increased regulation and licensing requirements.
• Sports clubs: New rules on releasing players to national teams, compensation arrangements, and limited liability possibilities for members' clubs.
• Local authorities: Increased responsibility for providing sports facilities and potential changes to business rates for sports grounds.
• Cyclists and pedestrians: Improved safety measures, potentially including road redesigns and increased training.
• Schools: New reporting requirements and potential changes to physical education curriculum mandates.
• Betting providers: New licensing requirements for sporting event betting.
• Businesses: Opportunities to sponsor cycleways and other initiatives.

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