(Lab):...Sport, of
course, is not just about medals. Most sport takes place at
grass-roots level, away from the glitter of gold and silver.
Unfortunately, men are more likely to be active than women,
according to Women in Sport: only 29% of women take part in
sporting activities, compared to 41% of men. Women need to feel
that sport is a place for them, and Sport England’s
“This
girl can” campaign has made a great mark already
in tackling notions of fear and judgment in sport. Already, 2.9
million women have taken part in the campaign...
(LD):...My Lords,
it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, . As this past week we have
been remembering the wonders of Sir Roger Bannister, who ran the
first sub-four-minute mile, I can reveal that I have recently
taken up running and I may set the record for the slowest mile.
As the noble Lord said, however, even This girl can...
(LD):...We have heard a lot about women’s sport.
The noble Lord, , talked about the drama
and professionalism exhibited in women’s sport and the soft power
that it can wield. The noble Lord, , talked about
the This
girl can campaign. My noble friend Lady Barker
can, and I can too. I am still dead slow—but still lapping
everybody on the sofa...
(Con):...We have had a wide-ranging debate today. The
noble Lord, , gave us a stunning
tour-de-force on the world of women in sport. He paid tribute to
my honourable friend in the other place in her
role as Minister for Sport, and I would completely agree with
him. He talked about Sport England and the This
girl can campaign. This
girl can, too—but only very occasionally because I
am usually too busy. In terms of This girl can, over 11,000 organisations
have registered, which is a great step forward. I am sure that
the noble Lord, , will agree with the noble
Lord, , and indeed with me,
that we now have some more superstar sporting heroes and role
models who have come out of the Winter Olympics, including of
course Lizzie Yarnold and Elise Christie for the way she faced up
to the challenges that she had. The noble Lord, , also spoke about the
benefits of sport and the action being taken. I note his question
on coaches. If he will forgive me, I will write to him further on
that when I have the full facts at my fingertips...
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