Wales could net a World Championship - but not without government support

Cymraeg
English

Eleanor Burnham <info@eburnham.org.uk>

Wales could net a World Championship - but not without government support - Burnham

January 22, 2007 4:41 PM

Eleanor with the Welsh Netball team

Eleanor Burnham AM was showing her support for Welsh netball last Saturday, as Wales played South Africa in preparation for the World Championships this November. But a lack of basic funding for facilities from Sport Minister Alun Pugh threatens the chances of some of our best national teams.

Ms Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Sport, was in the stands to support the Welsh netball team as they played a friendly against South Africa, narrowly missing victory by just three points.

The match took place in Ms Burnham's constituency at the Deeside Leisure Centre, but the team's fantastic performance was marked by the fact that the centre was only able to house half of the Welsh supporters and faced difficulty with goal posts that couldn't be sunk into the ground in line with safety regulations.

Ms Burnham said: "Wales has a fantastic team to represent it at this year's world Championship and last Saturday proved it, finishing just 3 points behind South Africa.

"However, I am appalled at the lack of action by the Assembly government to get facilities like this up to scratch. For a national team having half of your fans turned away because of outdoor safety issues is unacceptable.

"I will be asking the Minister some serious questions about his inability to support our Welsh sports. He is effectively stopping our teams from becoming truly world-class because our home facilities aren't up to the task.

"Flintshire County Council has done a great job in hosting the Wales v South Africa netball match, but the truth is that there isn't enough investment in sport to keep our teams at the top.

Commenting on a similar pressing issue, the need for government investment in Welsh multi-functional, multi-sport facilities, Ms Burnham said: "Aside from the conditions at the national team faced in Deeside, from a recent meeting with Wrexham County Borough Council it is my understanding that officials are now backing down from the Minister's commitment to invest in Wrexham Racecourse.

"The Racecourse offers a modern, multi-sport international facility for Wales, and would also help to put North Wales on the radar as a centre for high level sport training and development, but now it seems we may see yet another facility go to waste.

"At the netball match on Saturday I met a fantastic group of girls, who played brilliantly and I would like to publicly congratulate them and their manager and coaches on a very well-played game against the South African team.

"I'm very excited about the Championships in November, we have a team playing on a world class level that we should all be very proud of. I just hope that the Minister will step up and back our teams, so that Wales can shine at international sport."

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