A SPECIAL fund to help close the gap in sporting activity between the genders is to be set up by the Scottish Government.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced yesterday that the £300,000 Sporting Equality Fund will be used to find ways to close the gender gap that emerges in the early teenage years when 71 per cent of boys compared to 51 per cent of girls say they are active participants in sport.
According to the Scottish Government, the gap has been narrowing in recent years but significantly more men than women are active.
Speaking at the forum on Leadership in Business and Sport at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies’ Scottish Open at Dundonald, Sturgeon said: “We’ve seen some good progress in recent years, and it’s encouraging that activity levels among teenage girls are increasing. However, there is still a gender gap in sports participation and physical activity levels. There’s also a shortage of women involved in sport from grassroots right to elite level.
“My government is committed to doing more to support women and girls to be more active and to promote their participation in all aspects of the sporting sector and in being active more generally.
“This fund will aim to increase the participation, engagement, and promotion of women in sport. We look forward to working with sportscotland and others over the summer to take this forward and will be announcing more details later in the year.”
The last Scot to win a Major, the 2009 Ladies’ British Open champion Catriona Matthew, who will represent Great Britain at the Olympics, said: “As a mother to two young girls, I am delighted to hear about the Sporting Equality Fund.
“Keeping fit and healthy is so important in terms of health, wellbeing, mental strength and social mobility. I choose to follow an active lifestyle and I would encourage others to do the same as there is a sport for everyone, regardless of your age, ability, shape or size.”
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