Study to Save millions in future sports programmes

Press, 9 March 1988, Page 45

Study to Save millions in future sports programmes

KEVIN TUTTY

Millions of dollars could be saved by the Hillary Commission when it implements future sport and recreation programmes, said the chairman of the commission. Sir Ronald Scott, yesterday. A weary Sir Ronald returned to Christchurch after a month-long fact-finding visit to nine countries, most of them European, where he spoke to sports ministers and viewed first-hand the programmes the countries had implemented. Among the countries he visited were East Germany and the Soviet Union.

“The purpose of the trip was to learn as much as possible about public-sector involvement in sport before we move too far and develop our own plans. It was helpful to see the programmes of other countries and we should be able to use that information to our benefit," Sir Ronald said. "I think the information could save us millions of dollars by helping us create

cost effective programmes." he said. Other countries he visited were Sweden,! Norway, Great Britain, Switzerland, Hungary. Spain and Canada. He said that in all those countries, and the Soviet Union and East Germany, there was a growing concern that people needed to be encouraged to take part . in' some form of recreation for the benefit of their health. | "People I .spoke to in all those countries expressed concern at the breakdown of community lvalues. All of them referred to the impact of television,jand other cheap and easy ways to entertain young people," Sir Ronald said. "In London for instance.

there is a concern that children are missing out on their childhood. They no longer play games in the street like they used too. Much of their time is spent watching adult television,” he said. In each country he visited, Sir Ronald left a questionnaire with 62 questions regarding sport and recreation. When they are returned by the various countries, the Hillary Commission will compile information from the answers and send the results back to each country. Some countries were spending money on sport and recreation to a degree that New Zealand could not hope to match, said Sir Ronald.

"Finland, with a population of five million, is spending a billion U.S. dollars a year on its programmes, which include the provision of indoor facilities. Finland is closed down for six months of the year because of its weather, so they need the indoor facilities for recreation. Of that billion, 38 per cent comes from the Government," he said.

Sir Ronald said administrators in the countries he visited were very interested in the concept of the Hillary Commission. "They were interested in the independence we have and the terms of reference, which include active and passive forms of recreation including the arts. They are interested to see what impact the Commission makes," he said.

Sir Ronald found his visit to East Germany especially enlightening. The greatest sporting nation in the world does not have magnificent facilities dotted around the country.

"They do not go overboard on bricks and mortar. There are no luxury installations Some of the gymnasiums and other facilities I saw being used, we would find unacceptable in New Zealand,” Sir Ronald said.

“Instead they put their resources into people and equipment," he said. Sir Ronald said that as a result of his visit, he felt Western nations had been "a little ungracious” to East Germans in the past over their training methods, and the apparent emphasis on winning.

East Germany has dominated women's swimming for many years and Sir Ronald found it easy to understand why.

“It is part of their education programme that every child must learn to swim. By the time they are 11 years of age. they must be able to stay afloat for 15 minutes, and by the time they are 14, they must be able to stay afloat for 45 minutes, and swim 50m in all four strokes,” Sir Ronald said. "You can see how that creates a base for their swimming talent," he said. East Germany's competitive swimming ranks total only 1000, said Sir Ronald.