Falkirk West MSP Michael Matheson MSP was crowned a Scottish Sporting Champion by the Scottish Sports Association (SSA).
In the lead up to May’s Scottish elections Mr Matheson signed up to the SSA’s VoteforSport campaign: “I pledge as a Sporting Champion to recognise the unique role, value and potential of sport in Scottish Society.”
In becoming a Scottish Sporting Champion Michael Matheson MSP said;
“It is a great honour for MSP’s to be given this accolade.
“Throughout my time as an MSP I have promoted sport and physical activity as a good way to keep healthy, both as the former Public Health Minister, as a member of the Cross Party Group on Sport and a Member of the Health and Sport Committee.
“It is fantastic that our sporting success over the last few years has come from the grassroots and it’s important that all the great work to increase participation in sport continues in the years to come and I will certainly be playing my park to ensure that this happens”
Kim Atkinson, CEO of the Scottish Sports Association, said “We are delighted to welcome Michael Matheson Matheson MSP as a Scottish Sporting Champion. While the last Parliamentary session witnessed the most successful performance cycle for Scottish sport, along with successes across many sports in increasing membership and volunteering at the grassroots of sport, the successes of Scottish athletes in the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics this summer have already set a new standard which we hope can be exceeded in this Parliamentary term.”
“We hope that our Scottish Sporting Champion MSPs will help us to raise the importance of sport and for the vital work of our members to continue to be recognised and prioritised throughout this Parliamentary term.”
“Almost one-fifth of the Scottish population is a member of one of 13,000 sports clubs. We are delighted that as a Scottish Sporting Champion Michael Matheson MSP can help us to provide an opportunity for this enormous community of interest to be appropriately recognised and to have a voice in Holyrood as we all continue to work in partnership to truly deliver a world class sporting system for everyone in Scotland.”
