Increasing Opportunities for Rural Athletes

That the Parliament notes that, as part of the Reaching Higher revised national sports strategy, launched on 8 March 2007, the Scottish Government committed itself to achieving increasing participation and to improving performance in sporting activities; commends the Scottish Government’s continuing commitment to delivering equal opportunities for all regardless of personal circumstances; is concerned, however, that such equality has not been achieved in the field of sport, in that the careers of promising young athletes from remote areas, such as Caithness, are being held back by the high financial costs incurred in travelling to and participating in national sporting events, and would welcome the availability of funding for athletes from remote areas and their families to offset the considerable costs of pursuing their sporting goals.