THE SNP has been warned its plans to abolish sportscotland, the country's national sports agency, could undermine support for sport in the crucial build-up to the London Olympics in 2012 and a potential Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
Alex Salmond's party made a manifesto commitment to abolish the quango as part of a drive to de-clutter the public sector landscape. Potentially, that could see a sports ministry established, with a government department taking over responsibility for driving forward policy on sports matters and overseeing programmes from grassroots to elite level.
"There is a real nervousness about the idea of abolition because potentially it could create a vacuum," said Chris Robison, policy director of the Scottish Sports Association (SSA), which represents the interests of some 50 governing bodies.
"We are not interested in political agendas. The only thing we are interested in is what is best for sport and there is absolutely no doubt that with 2012 on the horizon, and hopefully 2014, there are concerns about making such major changes unless there are cast-iron assurances that what's going to be put in its place will be better for Scottish sport."
Stewart Maxwell, the minister for communities and sport, reiterated the pledge to abolish sportscotland in an interview with the Sunday Herald and insisted that the SNP-led government remained convinced that such an arm's-length body was not the best solution.
A review of sportscotland is ongoing, although Maxwell made it clear the findings were more likely to shape a future structure than save the existing one.
"Maybe the word review' isn't the most appropriate one, because the commitment in our manifesto was pretty clear," said the minister.
"This review isn't just a box-ticking exercise to meet our manifesto commitment - it is about putting something in place post-review which is fit for purpose. If I thought for one minute that we were heading in a direction which would complicate or damage support for sport, I can tell you now it absolutely wouldn't be me in charge."
However, despite assurances from Maxwell, there remain serious concerns about the direction the administration is taking. While sportscotland is funded with £33 million of public money, it is also responsible for distributing £18m of lottery money each year on the department for culture, media and sport's behalf.
Legally, that money must be administered independently of government so if sportscotland doesn't do it, another body must. Technically, sportscotland cannot simply be abolished by the SNP since it was set up by a Royal Charter. However, removing its funding would effectively have the same end result.
The fear for many, including some of those represented by the SSA, is that governing bodies and individual sports clubs could find themselves facing a more complicated support landscape if the SNP pushes through its plans.
"We will formally consult our members over the next fortnight as part of the review process," explained Robison, "but the anecdotal evidence already coming in is that our governing bodies believe the role of sportscotland is fairly clear; as an organisation it adds value, and some of the functions it provides are absolutely essential to our members.
"We're up for improving efficiency and eradicating the duplication of services, but the thought of a governing body - particularly one with a small staff - having to go to two or three separate organisations for the support they currently get from one just doesn't make sense. That is not efficient," said Robison.
The review into sportscotland is due to be completed by the end of the year.
l Interview: Sport
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