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Commonwealth to Give Young People a Fighting Chance Through Sport

9 June 2005

"CABOS will help member countries make the most of sport's capacity to change lives."

The newly established Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS) met for the first time in Gatineau, Canada, on 7 June 2005 to look at ways to build on the virtues of sport to nurture talent, sharpen skills and attain goals. Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, who opened the meeting, said: "Sport empowers young people by teaching them about team spirit, discipline and endurance. It promotes a level playing field and offers positive role models to emulate. Bringing together some of the best sport experts in the Commonwealth, CABOS will be able to tap into the huge potential sport represents to create new opportunities."

Former West Indies cricketer Desmond Haynes and record-breaking Paralympic powerlifter Moekie Grobbelaar will help CABOS highlight the importance of sport as a tool for socio-economic development. CABOS will put forward recommendations to Commonwealth sports ministers on policies and programmes to encourage a healthy lifestyle and help young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to develop their skills and work prospects.

Richard Caborn, UK Minister for Sport and current Chair of the Commonwealth sports ministers, welcomed the new body: "Having chaired the ministerial meetings, I know how much the Commonwealth has to offer to sport. There is a wealth of experience and knowledge throughout the Commonwealth and CABOS will help member countries make the most of sport's capacity to change lives. Be it improving people's health, raising children's educational standards, youth leadership or bringing communities together -- sport can do it all." 

Discussions also focused on the Commonwealth's ongoing commitment to eradicate the use of drugs in sport. "If you stamp out drugs in sport, you help reduce cheating and ensure fair play. This sets young people on the right track," said the Secretary-General.

The members of CABOS include Sue Campbell, Chair of UK Sport and Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust; Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, President, Malta Olympic Committee; Michael Fennell, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation; Moekie Grobbelaar, Paralympian, National Paralympic Committee of South Africa; Desmond Haynes, Chairman, National Sports Council and Sport Consultant to Ministry of Education and Sports, Barbados; Professor Denver Hendricks, Head of Sport and Recreation, South Africa; Dr Bruce Kidd, Dean, Faculty of Physical Education and Health, University of Toronto, Canada; Low Beng Choo, Chair, Women and Sport Committee, Olympic Council of Malaysia and Member of Sport Advisory Panel, Malaysia; Dr Robin E Mitchell, President of the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee; Mark Peters, Chief Executive, Australian Sports Commission; and Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Minister of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Punjab, and Joint Secretary of the Indian Olympic Association. A twelfth member will be appointed shortly, from East or West Africa.

The decision to establish CABOS was taken by Commonwealth leaders at their meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, in December 2003.

 

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 238, 8 June 2005

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