Major Sports Events - The Guide - April 2005
SubscribeEvents are the lifeblood of sport. Competition is the principal purpose behind the years of training and preparation for athletes and coaches. For an athlete to compete on home soil provides a further incentive to excel. An event at home can also be the catalyst for broader success - the chance to introduce the sport to new participants, and increase profile, funding, facility provision, influence and prestige, both at home and abroad.
It is important to acknowledge the context in which the hosting of a major sports event is sought and negotiated in the 21st century. There are many interested parties to satisfy, each with a different agenda: international federations, governments, athletes, promoters, media, the public, local authorities and sponsors. These diverse needs converge increasingly around the theatre of live sport and its unique capacity to create community pride, urban regeneration and commercial promise. It is equally important not to lose sight of the fact that at the centre of any event is the sport itself; the athletes, coaches and support teams who remain the traditional owners of sport. It is they who must support an event from the outset. It is also essential that any event you aspire to host will be a boost to the long-term development of your sport – not an expensive distraction from it.
Sport in the UK has signaled its intention to play a significant part in the world of major sporting events, above and beyond the traditional landmarks of British sport such as Wimbledon, the FA Cup and Henley, which have unequalled reputation for quality and durability. Under the auspices of UK Sport, and with the collective support of sports and Government, there is a commitment to bringing the best of world sporting events to these shores. As a result of this commitment, UK Sport distributes Lottery money through its World Class Events Programme to assist with the bidding for and staging of sports events that fulfill certain criteria. These are known as World Class Events. Part of the remit of the Programme is the provision of support and information relating to events.
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