Doha Goals meet urges higher priority for sports at policy level

by Armstrong Vas
Doha:  The first ever Ministers of Sport Summit attended by Ministers of Sport and representatives of sports bodies from over 20 countries which concluded here yesterday has urged policy makers to accord top priority for sports while making outlays for development.
The ministers and senior representatives, who considered a range of specific ideas that can be pursued at a national and international level to support the development of sports policy, called upon the policy makers of different countries to have changed outlook towards sports.
The meet, part of the second annual Doha Goals which officially kicks off today at the Aspire Dome, took place at Torch Hotel here yesterday.
Doha Goals, the three-day forum, is the world’s leading platform focusing on sport as a driver of social and economic change.
The one-day summit, which discussed the important role played by sport in promotion of innovation, economic growth, social inclusion and cohesion, also emphasised on the need to develop a specific policy programme which need to be pursued in 2014.
“Today was an important step towards better and stronger collaboration between Ministers of Sport so that we can build a case for sport to be given higher priority at a policy level,” H E Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser Al Ali, Qatar’s Minister of Youth and Sports said.
The meet also addressed some of the most important economic, social and political challenges facing the world today, including unemployment, corruption and poor health. The summit discussed way to harness sport as tool to solve complex social issues of gender and racial inequality. 
“Important discussions took place as to how sport can be used as a bridge for cultures, as well a way to promote peace and fight prejudice,” said Sheikh Faisal bin Mubarak Al Thani, Executive Director of Doha Goals.
The Doha goals provide a platform for representatives of government, leaders from the private sector and from the sporting world to come together and discuss important issues plaguing it.
Yesterday at the end of the summit the delegates welcomed the spirit of collaboration between government and private sector.
“The role of sport as a catalyst for innovation and a driver of investment  is well know. There is a need to work with private sector actors and sports leaders as to what we can do collectively to create the right policy environment to ensure that the technological advances made within professional sport can be harnessed for the greater good of the people. The technological advances have the potential to contribute valuable insights to policy areas including health and urban planning,” a statement issues at the end of the Sport Ministers Summit said.
The meet also expressed the need to share information between nations in order to fight corruption that can blight sport.
“Major sporting events are also a showcase for the importance of nations collaborating across borders to promote transparency and to fight corruption,” the organisers said.
 “This is not about lobbying for more money to host events. This is about recognising that sport has an impact on education, on health, on social integration and on the economy. We look forward to building on this first Summit over the next 12 months and reconvening in Doha next year,” Executive Producer of Doha Goals Richard Attias said. The key policy aims which called on public policy makers to focus on over the next 12 months was also released. 
The Peninsula

     The meeting focused in particular on three new concerns which the Ministers of Sport Summit pledged to co-ordinate action at next year’s meet:
     Countries from less developed economies who are current beneficiaries of aid and development funding highlighted the fact that investment in sports infrastructure and sports activity should be seen as a legitimate use of development funds.  Recipients of such development funding called for the rules of these grants to be amended to allow for wider support for sports facilities and endeavours in the context of development funding.
     The delegates highlighted the need to focus on the impact of sporting events beyond the best-known major competitions.  While lower profile events may not have the same weight with international audiences there are still numerous benefits for smaller events to be held in smaller countries where investment can be more manageable but the impact on real terms just as big.
     The delegates pledged to do more to share information between nations, within the context of the G20, the G8 and other international groups, in order to fight the corruption that can blight sport. The global interdependence of elite sport in particular means that these issues affect all nations. Major sporting events are also a showcase for the importance of nations collaborating across borders to promote transparency and to fight corruption.
     The conclusions of the discussions will be shared amongst senior sports policy makers to develop a specific policy programme to pursue in 2014.