ELITE SQUAD SURVEYED BY UK SPORT
The English Golf Union Elite Squad was surveyed at a recent
training camp at the National Golf Centre, Woodhall Spa on
the subject of Sporting Conduct.
Discussions led by Jerry Bingham a member of UK Sport’s
Strategy, Ethics and Research team are a continuation of earlier
research into the sporting conduct of six high profile sports;
football, rugby union, rugby league, cricket, tennis and golf.
Jerry Bingham explained, "The Sporting Conduct Initiative
is about helping sports to develop practical strategies for
improving and maintaining standards of conduct. We believe
that it is only by talking to players, coaches and officials
within individual sports that we can generate a shared and
credible view about what is acceptable and not acceptable
on the field of play. We are delighted that the English Golf
Union is so keen to take part in the project. Of course, golf
enjoys an almost unparalleled reputation for fair play and
sportsmanship - but that doesn’t mean it can’t
make a valuable contribution to our work. In particular we
want to hear from those inside the game about how they think
golf manages to preserve its ethos - and to see whether there
are lessons that might be transferable to other sports. I
hope we will be able to build on this initial involvement
and keep in touch with the players as the season, and their
careers, progress."
Early research has shown that in general from a spectators
view 100% agreed that professional golfers act in a fair and
sporting way when playing their sport in comparison to Tennis
(92%), Cricket (72%) and Football (59%). Although that is
a remarkable finding, the public perception is also that players
behaviour may not be at quite the level it was ten years ago.
So it is important for golf to guard against complacency.
Commenting on the research, Nigel Furniss, Performance Director
for the English Golf Union said “Golf has an excellent
record for discipline, etiquette and sporting conduct which
I am sure many other sports are envious of. It is important
that these values are upheld and maintained and I am therefore
delighted with the response from the Elite Squad to the survey,
which was extremely positive and encouraging. It is important
that the role models of the future understand and protect
the integrity and sportsmanship which is associated with the
game of golf.”
UK Sport is planning to hold similar discussions with the
elite women’s squad via the English Ladies Golf Association.
On a parallel track, they have recently set up a joint research
project with the Football Association and the University of
Gloucestershire to track the development of young footballers
attached to the academies of three professional football league
clubs.
A full copy of the UK Sport report on sporting conduct can
be found on the UK Sport web site at www.uksport.gov.uk
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