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Sport and cohesion - a work in progress

The power of sport

The power of sport is simply huge. It can transform peoples lives in so many ways. It can improve personal health, build teamwork and even turn the most disaffected of young people into disciplined athletes.

Sport can change communities

Sport can unite communities - and the country as a whole - in common cause. The way we even think of our Nation can be defined by our sporting heroes - Kelly Holmes wrapped in the Union Jack after winning two Olympic Golds, or England winning the Ashes, Amir Kahn's supremacy in the boxing ring and of course our footballers' performance determining the mood of the Nation.

But sport can also reflect society's divisions. All of our inequalities are reflected on the sports field and all too often sports activities are completely divided, failing to grasp the opportunity to build bridges between communities.

"We need to use the six years up till 2012 to promote sporting activity across racial and religious boundaries.  Sport should be a great unifier.....over the next six years we should be aiming to reduce to zero the number of people who play only with and against people of their own race and religion. Get it right and the legacy from the Olympics will not just be medals, or sporting infrastructure, or regeneration in East London, or a positive image of Britain abroad, but vital bridges between communities who have used sport to promote tolerance and understanding".

David Miliband MP, Scarman Memorial Lecture, 31st January 2006.

PDF iconDraft sports and community cohesion toolkit