2012 target to get Britons active has 'been missed'

THE Government has so far failed to boost mass participation in sport, a key target of the London 2012 Olympics, the head of its funding agency for grassroots sport has admitted.

Sport England chief executive Jennie Price, told the Evening Standard there would be little progress for another two years as she revealed ministers would rely heavily on a boost to community sport in London to achieve ministers' targets of getting two million more Britons active by 2012. Ms Price believes the new focus on competitive sport is the best way to achieve a legacy from 2012.

She said: "The statistics are edging up but it is less than one per cent." Starting next year Sports England will channel more of its annual £120million funding direct to sports governing bodies as part of the Government's drive for increased participation in competitive sport.

"I would expect by the end of the following year to see participation start to grow. I think it is a matter of momentum and I am convinced that with this programme you will get growth."

Sport England has been given the task of getting one million more Britons to take up sport by 2012 with the other half of the two-million target shared by government departments. Sport England now has to distinguish between competitive sport and leisure pursuits, which will no longer be funded by the agency.