Understanding UK Sport Policy in Context

This book represents the first attempt to examine whether the UK 'model' of sport is fit for purpose by examining its efficacy in the context of a range of comparative elite sport models. The aim is to outline the broad contours of the UK's 'model' of sport, with individual chapters focusing upon its central components (for example elite, school and community sport and talent ID policies). The upcoming London Olympics 2012 is apposite and provides the perfect timing for an examination of UK sport policy, which will be undertaken with an eye to other leading sporting nations such as Canada and Australia. A recurring theme will be to probe the notion of a 'virtuous cycle' of sport (Grix, 2011) that appears to underpin many countries' rationale for elite sport investment (a process through which elite success stimulates mass participation, produces more active people and a larger pool from which to draw successful elite athletes etc.). This book invokes a 'model' of sport that seeks to be more inclusive than the traditional elite sport development (ESD) system, by including school and community sport policy whose objectives are closely aligned with elite sport through partnership arrangements.This book was published as a special issue of the International Journal of Sport Policy .