Tennis: Funding cut for Wimbledon
English adults playing tennis at least once a week has declined from 487,500 in 2007-08 to 375,800.
LONDON:
The United Kingdom Lawn Tennis Association has had its funding cut after a series of mesmerising Wimbledon finals and the success of Andy Murray failed to inspire Britons to take up the sport. Sport England, the government-backed development agency, said in a statement yesterday that Britain’s tennis body had agreed to accept a reduction of £530,000 in the light of disappointing participation figures. A survey showed the average number of English adults playing tennis at least once a week has declined from 487,500 in 2007-08 to 375,800 in the latest update. “No decision to reduce funding is taken lightly but Sport England has been clear that failure to achieve the agreed growth in a sport would lead to a governing body’s overall funding levels being reviewed,” said Sport England Chief Executive Jennie Price.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 4th, 2012.
The United Kingdom Lawn Tennis Association has had its funding cut after a series of mesmerising Wimbledon finals and the success of Andy Murray failed to inspire Britons to take up the sport. Sport England, the government-backed development agency, said in a statement yesterday that Britain’s tennis body had agreed to accept a reduction of £530,000 in the light of disappointing participation figures. A survey showed the average number of English adults playing tennis at least once a week has declined from 487,500 in 2007-08 to 375,800 in the latest update. “No decision to reduce funding is taken lightly but Sport England has been clear that failure to achieve the agreed growth in a sport would lead to a governing body’s overall funding levels being reviewed,” said Sport England Chief Executive Jennie Price.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 4th, 2012.