3 minute read
Sport ambassador
SPORT AMBASSADOR LAST WORD
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.
Th ere is a great power involved in this industry. Sport connects people like nothing else, as we saw at our own Olympics in 2012. Th at was a prime example of people saying: ‘I wasn’t interested in sports before but I really found it inspiring’. It speaks to us about this idea this kind of idea about what human beings are capable of.
It’s not just about elite sports – I believe both sports people and organisations have a huge infl uence in the lives of the general population. Th ey have a role to play because anyone or anything with infl uence has a responsibility to act in the face of this climate and meteorological emergency because they have power. But we must remember that leadership is not telling people what to do, but showing S ng . Itspeaks to us about ind of idea about what are capable of. bout elite sports – I orts people and have a huge infl uence in general population. Th ey laybecause hing with o act in the mate and emergency ave r 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.
Th at was perhaps most apparent last
April, when I was part of the Extinction Rebellion protests and ended up getting arrested. I was sitting in the road on Waterloo Bridge when a police offi cer demanded that I move, but I told him ‘I’m not moving’, and then he handcuff ed me and I was taken to the police station.
Eventually that got to court in January this year, and I was convicted with a public order off ence. I got a nine-month conditional discharge, but was ordered to pay costs of £300 for the off ences. I stand by what I did as I believe it will impact all of society, including the leisure sector. ap
A p ge si W po I m not han take
Ev in Jan convic off ence conditio ordered to off ences. I believe it w including 43 www.cimspa.co.uk
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 signifi cant part of the winter because of the fl ooding.
Uncontrolled climate change will mean that people will have less chance to enjoy sports and all it has to off er because they will be busy dealing with eff ects 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.
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