IT is a matter of historical fact that politicians in the UnitedKingdom have never treated sport as a serious business. Comparedwith issues such as health, education and the economy, sport is,admittedly, a minor player, but what the politicians have failed torecognise until recently is that it could, and should, play a fargreater role in the physical, mental and financial health of thenation.
Instead, the erosion of sport in schools, coupled with wishy-washy notions about competition being bad for children, hascontributed to ever-rising levels of juvenile crime and appallingfitness levels among teenagers. Also, the feel-good factor inducedby good results on the international stage has become increasinglyrare as, at both Scottish and British levels, we have been overtakenby those countries prepared to invest seriously in sport.
The advent of the National Lottery has made a significantdifference, and this, coupled with the arrival of the ScottishParliament, should mean a much brighter future for the nextgeneration of talented youngsters in this country. Only last month,extra funding for sport totalling #96m was agreed by the parliament,#87m of it to come from the New Opportunities Fund.
While most of this money will go towards schools, and wider useof school facilities by the public, the elite end of sport is now,for the first time, being catered for by the Scottish Institute ofSport. Much credit for these developments rests with sportscotland(formerly the Scottish Sports Council), which ploughed a lone furrowwhen politicians weren't interested.
To be fair to the SNP, and perhaps with the luxury which comesfrom being in opposition, they have identified sport for some timeas a vehicle for both social progress and political point-scoring.Pre-parliament they had a feisty sports spokeswoman in Kim Nicoll,while in the assembly itself shadow sports minister Fiona McLeodmade a name for herself by being the first politician to call forpublic backing of Scotland's bid to host the 2009 Ryder Cup and forthe nation to compete in its own right at the Olympic Games.
'I look forward to the day when Scotland sends its own team tothe Olympics, the Scottish national anthem is played, and theSaltire is raised above the stadium,' said McLeod in September,pointing out that New Zealand (pop. 3m) had sent 213 athletes toSydney and Scotland (pop. 5m) just 28.
As it transpired, it was one of McLeod's last pronouncements onsport before she was transferred to the transport and environmentbrief in new leader John Swinney's reshuffle at the end of thatmonth. Into the education, culture and sport portfolio came IreneMcGugan.
Perhaps because she is more pragmatic, or has only had her feetunder the desk for two months, McGugan, who was born in Angus andstill lives there, says more guardedly: 'The SNP would be absolutelydelighted to see Scotland competing as a country at the OlympicGames, but it will be more achievable under independence than it isnow.'
At this stage of her new job, McGugan prefers to set out herstall in generalities rather than soundbites.
'Sport has to fit into a much wider policy area, which includeshealth because it is of great concern to a lot of people at themoment, and rightly so,' says the 48-year-old whose own exercisecomes from cycling.
'In Scotland we have the highest level of coronary heart disease,and we are now so obese we apparently need a 'fat Czar'. There is nodoubt sport has a role to play in the health of the nation. It isabout making sport accessible to all, but I don't doubt howdifficult that is. I would like to see better use of schools'facilities and also football clubs.
'It can cost less to be a member of a private sports club than alocal authority facility if you use it four or more times a week.'
Speaking of last month's #96m extra funding for Scottish sport,McGugan points out: 'I applaud the extra resources that are goinginto schools and schools' co-ordination.
'That's valid and very good, but the minister [Labour's SamGalbraith] didn't mention the stage beyond school, where we aretalking about voluntary clubs or community facilities.
'The executive are very keen to promote sport as one means todivert young people from crime and bad living. It's a great idea,but local authority budgets have been cut back so much in recentyears and it's often the departments of leisure and recreation whichget the biggest hit, whether that means swimming pools closing downor whatever. Resources are, in fact, declining for young people.'
Nevertheless, as a proponent of consensus politics, McGugan seemsmore interested in setting out her own stall than scoring points offopponents.
Asked where her party would find the money to help fund, forexample, much-needed indoor facilities, she replies: 'You could movesport up the priority ladder by linking it to issues like the healthof the nation and the contribution it can make to social inclusion.
'Then it becomes more valued in a sense, and not seen assomething peripheral you may, or may not, choose to do in your sparetime.
'The SNP argue there is money available in Scotland, andespecially in an independent Scotland. If you scrapped Trident, forinstance, it would free billions. We're agreeing that fundingunderpins everything we want to do, but it takes political will, Idon't deny that.
'It is interesting so see what the state spends on sport indifferent countries. In Scotland we spend #1.91p per person, whilein Denmark, at the other end of the scale, it's #42 per person.
'Denmark is a very good comparator with Scotland because thepopulation is about the same and the gross domestic product is aboutthe same. I want to see Scotland as a major international player inevery sport in its own right.
'We have to have ambition and promote Scotland for events such asthe Ryder Cup - the benefits to tourism and the economy are just sogreat.'
Indeed, it is on the subject of golf that McGugan gets mostanimated.
Talking about the Scottish Ryder Cup bid's stated commitment tointroduce golf to every child in Scotland by the age of nine, sheadds: 'Golf, by the way, is not universally accessible to womeneither. That's wrong, entirely wrong.
'Given that women are in the majority in Scotland, and we stillhaven't got equality in areas like going into a golf club, it showswe have a way to go in achieving equal opportunity.
'We can't prevent discrimination against women in privatemembers' clubs, except by making it clear that it is sociallyunacceptable and morally reprehensible.'
Finally, I suggest to McGugan that the best thing which the SNPcould do for itself would be to endorse the sentiments of first theformer UK Sports Minister Tony Banks and then, more recently, theHome Secretary Jack Straw that there should be one British footballteam.
Surely the loss of Scotland's footballing identity is the oneaction which would make the SNP electable overnight?
Disappointingly, she doesn't rise to the bait.
'It's a complete non-starter,' McGugan replies. 'I don't think weshould support him [Straw] by giving him any comfort.'
In the current climate, McGugan also believes it's unrealisticthat Scotland should have a dedicated minister of sport, rather thanhave it pushed in with education and culture.
As it is a view shared by the current regime, it shows just howfar sport still has to jostle to get an acceptable place in thecorridors of power.
The future of sport looks set to become a political issue. In thefirst of an occasional series, Alan Campbell meets the SNP's shadowminister for sport, Irene McGugan
