{"id":487729,"date":"2021-09-22T03:03:54","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T10:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=487729"},"modified":"2021-09-22T03:03:54","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T10:03:54","slug":"double-olympic-champion-james-guy-potential-loss-of-almost-2000-pools-in-england-is-horrendous","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/double-olympic-champion-james-guy-potential-loss-of-almost-2000-pools-in-england-is-horrendous\/","title":{"rendered":"Double Olympic Champion James Guy: Potential Loss Of Almost 2,000 Pools In England Is Horrendous"},"content":{"rendered":"

Double Olympic champion James Guy<\/strong> has described as “horrendous” Swim England’s prediction that almost 2,000 pools in England could be lost forever by the end of the decade.<\/p>\n

The governing body made its grim forecast in its newly-published A Decade of Decline: The Future of Swimming Pools in England<\/a> report and is backing calls for the Government to commit to investing \u00a31 billion (1.36 billion US dollars) into public leisure facilities to help refurbish existing pools as well as building the new ones needed in the future.<\/p>\n

It says that unless urgent action is taken to replace ageing facilities, millions of people could be left without access to a pool by 2030.<\/p>\n

According to Swim England, the shortage is based on pools which were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s and are coming to the end of their lifespan while not enough new facilities are being built to replace them.<\/p>\n

While the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the issue, it is not a direct cause for the dire prediction.<\/p>\n

However, the report states that “if we continue on the current trend, the number of available pools in England will fall by 40 per cent by the end of the decade \u2013 down from the current 4,336 to around 2,468”.<\/p>\n

$\"James$ <\/p>\n

Guy was a standout on the team in Tokyo, returning with two relay golds and a silver as part of the most successful swimming contingent from British shores.<\/p>\n

The squad secured four golds, three silvers and one bronze among an eight-strong medal haul with Guy calling for investment to help nurture the next generation\u00a0and ensure people were safe in and around water.<\/p>\n

He said in a Swim England release:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were the most successful [swimming] team at an Olympic Games and to hear that our future stars might not be able to access pools in the next decade or so is horrendous.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there\u2019s no pools, you can\u2019t build the foundation for club swimmers to come and take our position as Olympic swimmers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to inspire that future generation and I\u2019m pretty sure during the Games a lot of us did that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to keep going and pass it down to the next stars coming through. That\u2019s why you see Adam Peaty doing his swim clinics and myself doing mine and other different things to promote water safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we can\u2019t do that if pools are closing \u2013 it\u2019s absolutely appalling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to be in a nice environment and councils and the Government not backing that is very, very unfair.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey should be prioritising where the results are and swimming is definitely top of that list.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a real shame and quite sad.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Adam Peaty<\/strong> and Luke Greenbank<\/strong> have also previously issued calls for further investment.<\/p>\n
Peaty became the first British swimmer to defend an Olympic title with victory in the 100m breaststroke as well as claiming gold and silver in the mixed and men’s medley relay respectively.<\/p>\n
He said in Tokyo:<\/p>\n
\u201cSport needs money, everyone knows that.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo there needs to be more investment than ever, to secure the next generation, especially in swimming where you\u2019ve got swimming clubs who have to raffle and fundraise on their own.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
$\"IMG_0226\"$
Luke Greenbank, Cockermouth SC: Photo Courtesy: Sean Balmer<\/p><\/div>\n
Greenbank – who won bronze in the 200m backstroke – spoke of the financial struggles clubs and facilities were facing and how he hoped Olympic success would encourage more people to take up swimming.<\/p>\n
His swimming journey started under former coach Sean Balmer<\/strong> at the Cockermouth<\/strong> club – more here.<\/a><\/p>\n
He said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI talked to my old coach and he said after the first lockdown, there were a few swimmers who struggled to come back, maybe lost support.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had to fundraise to open, so it\u2019s obviously been an extremely difficult time for lots of clubs around the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor our sport it\u2019s so difficult with leisure centres closing and struggling to be financially viable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe team is full of positive role models, it\u2019s great for kids to look up to.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really hope that this has the opposite effect of the pandemic, that it brings new people in and gets them involved in swimming.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Nickerson Warns Against Health Inequalities<\/h3>\n
Swim England wants part of the \u00a31 billion funding to be used so communities can apply for grants to get design and feasibility studies completed, the costs of which can currently be a barrier to pools being built.<\/p>\n
It is also calling on local authorities short of water space to include the provision of new pools in any application they make to the government’s Levelling Up Fund, which pledges to invest in local infrastructure and drive regeneration.<\/p>\n
The report highlights that almost a quarter of local authorities (23 per cent) in England have a deficit of at least one average-sized swimming pool.<\/p>\n
$\"Jane$
Photo Courtesy: Jane Nickerson Twitter<\/p><\/div>\n
Chief executive Jane Nickerson<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n
“Swimming pools are naturally essential to the future of all our aquatic sports if we are to nurture the next Adam Peaty, Tom Daley, Anna Hopkin<\/strong> or Maisie Summers-Newton<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, they are so much more than that.<\/p>\n
\u201cPools are hubs of the local community, helping people of all ages to lead healthier, happier lives and saving the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds each year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are also the places where millions learn a skill that could one day save their life \u2013 or someone else\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s particularly timely that we\u2019re discussing this as today marks National Fitness Day, where we celebrate the vital role of leisure centres and gyms and the positive impact they have on so many lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt reminds us that it\u2019s more important than ever to ensure we have the facilities we need for people to continue to enjoy in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout adequate investment into the new pools this country needs, we are forecasting a huge decline in the available water space by the end of the decade, threatening the future of our sports, leaving millions shut out of the activities they love and widening health inequities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe time to act is now.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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