S&PAProfessional / Spring 2020
LAST WORD SPORT AMBASSADOR
Etienne Stott MBE, Team GB canoeing juniors coach, Olympic gold medallist and Extinction Rebellion protester says the industry has a powerful voice in the climate change debate
SPORT CAN CHANGE THE WORLD port is an amazing vehicle for empowerment and for people to explore their potential. It’s something I discovered upon retirement, having thought back about how I got into canoeing and realising that it helped me grow as a person. There is a great power involved in this industry. Sport connects people like nothing else, as we saw at our own Olympics in 2012. That was a prime example of people saying: ‘I wasn’t interested in sports before but I really ng . It speaks to us about found it inspiring’. ind of idea about what this idea this kind human beings are capable of. bout elite sports – I It’s not just about orts people and believe both sports organisations have a huge influence in the lives of the general population. They lay because have a role to play hing with anyone or anything influence has a o act in the responsibility to mate and face of this climate meteorological emergency ave because they have power. But we must rememberr that leadership is not telling people what to do, but showing
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people what can be done. Sport has that authenticity and credibility with a lot of people, which means it has a huge role to play in society, and that is part of the reason why I became involved with Extinction Rebellion. Joining the group was driven by this idea of empowerment and learning that we’re all capable of more than we realise. That was perhaps most ap apparent last A April, when I was part of the Extinction Rebellion p protests and ended up ge getting arrested. I was si sitting in the road on W Waterloo Bridge when a po police officer demanded that Im move, but I told him ‘I’m not moving’, and then he han handcuffed me and I was take taken to the police station. Ev Eventually that got to court in January Jan this year, and I was convic convicted with a public order offence ence. I got a nine-month conditio conditional discharge, but was ordered to pay costs of £300 for the offences. I stand by what I did as I believe it w will impact all of society, including the leisure sector.
Of course, there are consequences for me but it’s a small price to pay. Extreme events are already becoming more frequent. For example, our canoeing course in Nottingham, where young athletes train, and where I go canoeing, had to be closed for quite a significant part of the winter because of the flooding. Uncontrolled climate change will mean that people will have less chance to enjoy sports and all it has to offer because they will be busy dealing with effects of extreme weather. I believe it’s important for athletes and people with voices to use their social power in this time of this emergency. Etienne Stott MBE was interviewed by S&PA Professional’s Graham Simons
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23/03/2020 17:10
