NAKMAS

Grassroots warning to UK Sport/Sport England merger

Grassroots sport must be a priority if plans to merge UK Sport and Sport England go ahead, says the National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS).

The announcement by the Coalition to merge the two bodies has prompted NAKMAS, a leading voice on grassroots sport, to urge any newly merger body to put grassroots at the top its agenda.

Joe Ellis, chair of NAKMAS, says:

"The danger with any merger is that the priorities of the two bodies become diluted or change. With 97 per cent of sport participation in the UK being at grassroots level the focus of the merged body has to be that grassroots base.

"While the three per cent elite sports participants should not be ignored it is important that resources are geared towards grassroots, in particular the thousands of children who participate in sport.

"Eighty-five per cent of those who participate in NAKMAS affiliate member clubs are children, the future of UK's martial arts prowess. To not make them a priority risks denting grassroots martial arts and limiting the potential for producing elite stars in future."

NAKMAS has made enormous advances in developing martial arts at grassroots level without any funding, by boosting equality and diversity standards in martial arts, for which it has secured the Equality Standard: A Framework for Sport, as well as child welfare policies. NAKMAS has also achieved a National and International Quality Standard Certificate via the BSI (British Standards Institute).

Joe Ellis adds: "NAKMAS has achieved a great deal for club level martial arts, but the merger of UK Sport and Sport England is a genuine opportunity for the new body to support organisations such as NAKMAS who are committed to grassroots sport.

"The future of grassroots sport is at a critical junction with this potential merger and we look forward to working with that new body to help drive grassroots sport to the top of the agenda."

Currently, UK Sport supports the UK's elite athletes, while Sport England focuses its efforts on grassroots level sport by distributing National Lottery grants and through other means.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Find out more about Equality Standard: A Framework for Sport at www.equalitystandard.org

Find out more about the International Quality Management System at www.press.nakmas.org.uk/iso-video

The National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools (NAKMAS) National Governing Body is a non-funded national governing body and is a member of CCPR (the Central Council of Physical Recreation). With its Head Office based in Kent, NAKMAS governs all forms of traditional and modern martial arts and has over 73,000 members within the UK.

NAKMAS is an approved insurance provider via Zurich and holds a National and International Quality Standard Certificate via the BSI (British Standards Institute).

For further information, please contact:
Joe Ellis, Chair of the NAKMAS National Governing Body
Tel: 01227 370055 / 07976 736404
Fax: 01227 370056