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Job losses in sport could reach 300,000 due to coronavirus - with 10,000 already gone

A general view of London Aquatics Centre - GETTY IMAGES
A general view of London Aquatics Centre - GETTY IMAGES

Around 10,000 people in the sports sector have already lost their job since the Covid-19 lockdown, but there are fears that up to 300,000 roles could go by the end of the year without government support.

Organisations including the Football Association, the England & Wales Cricket Board, Arsenal, Wasps, UK Athletics, the Rugby Football Union and McLaren have already announced redundancies and, with 6,000 jobs also going in public leisure, the physical activity sector is facing the urgent threat of economic devastation.

According to the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity, around 150,000 roles across fitness, leisure and recreational sports are at risk once furlough ends but that will rise to between 250,000 and 300,000 by next year if there is not a dedicated package of support. That is based on losing 45 per cent of facilities and, while that forecast includes a relatively small percentage of volunteers, the vast majority would be paid jobs.

The public leisure sector, which includes community gyms and swimming pools, has already asked for £800,000 to keep it afloat until next March and a detailed outline of the need elsewhere is being calculated. The final ask, including compensation for lost gate receipts across the ‘big eight’ sports, could top £2 billion.

A report this week by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport found that 20 per cent of sports organisations had made at least one member of staff redundant already, but that 39 per cent had reduced their staffing hours and 42 per cent had used the furlough scheme.

The Sport and Recreation Alliance expects the Government’s job support and self-employed income support schemes to provide some continued winter support but, according to chief executive Lisa Wainwright, “it is not yet clear if these measures will be enough to protect the many viable jobs and businesses in the sector” which have so far been impacted.

“We really need a comprehensive solution,” said Wainwright. “That is why we are calling for a sports recovery fund to protect jobs and facilities so that the sector can survive and stabilise and be in a position to deliver on the Government’s commitments to rebuild and level up the country.

“Without this package we face the real prospect of community sports clubs and facilities being forced to close for good. We want sport and physical activity to lead the nation’s recovery from Covid-19. We want to keep community facilities open so that we can provide the opportunities for every single person to become fitter and healthier to combat the pandemic.”

The Government has announced an Income Guarantee Scheme, which aims to support local authorities who have incurred irrecoverable loss of income during coronavirus. Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund has also provided £27.6 million for sports clubs and organisations.

The fund, however, closed in May after approving 7,489 out of 11,043 applications for help. “Without this support, they simply would not have survived,” said sports minister Nigel Huddleston.