9 minute read
Interview: Ian Beattie
By Peter Jardine
The London Olympics loomed large when Ian Beattie assumed a key role for athletics in Scotland early in 2012. The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games were still very much in the middle distance horizon.
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Frank Dick had left the building and Ian, with previous Board experience with sportscotland plus club connections and umpteen marathons and ultra runs, was installed as our new Chair.
With weekly summits with chief executives Nigel Holl, Mark Munro and now Colin Hutchison, he has spent much of the past nine years with an ear close to the ground and an eye on multiple operational projects.
But the bigger picture, the wider vision for athletics and running, has never been far from his mind, either.
Instrumental in our current strategy ‘Building a Culture of Success’ he is adamant that the responsibility for the wellbeing of the sport should be spread far wider than one or two individuals – be they Chair, CEO or Laura Muir.
That broader view prompts Ian to sketch out a landscape where sport plays an even bigger role than it does at the moment in Scotland’s collective culture, economy and mental and physical health.
‘I believe sport has a hugely important role to play in the overall success of any country and has the potential to help the Scottish Government achieving a number of national outcomes,’ said Ian.
‘Unfortunately I do not think the potential of sport of a ‘factor for good’ is fully recognised by any of the political parties, and because of that we miss out on a lot of opportunities to recognise the positive role sport can play across areas such as physical and mental health, education, crime, the environment and economic wellbeing.
‘If governments fail to recognise this importance at a ‘macro’ level, any sporting initiatives risk lacking a strategic rationale, and become no more than one-off projects.
population in Europe by 2030?
‘If we set that goal what would we need to do to achieve it? Could we get all of our political parties to recognise this is not a party political issue, and work together to achieve it?
‘We need the kind of political thinking that brought in our right to roam and smoking ban legislation - some big initiatives that change the way we look at sport and physical activity.’
As things stand in Scotland, the Sports Minister who reports to Holyrood also carries a (weighty) portfolio which includes responsibility for Public Health. Given in Scotland that currently covers a drugs death crisis as well as the Covid-19 response, it is asking too much for any one individual to be ‘on the ball’ around key issues in Scottish sport. ‘We should be discussing how to introduce more sport to the school curriculum – that for me should be fundamental.
‘Many private schools have a ‘sports afternoon’ once a week; could this be considered in the state sector and what would the benefi ts be?
‘Governments have been very keen to target the ‘hard to reach’ areas and have supported this through various funding initiatives. I think we would be more successful if we targeted the ‘could be persuaded’ category and continue to build the numbers.
‘So if we have 50 percent taking part at the moment, let’s try and make that 60 percent. And then work from there. If we can make participating in sport more and more mainstream, then we build momentum.
‘I am very much in favour of clubs linking with schools, but as I have highlighted above I think this needs to be against a much clearer strategic framework of what we are actually trying to achieve, and how this can be supported in the longer term.
In fairness, that momentum for athletics in Scotland was certainly building very strongly indeed in the years between Glasgow 2014 and Glasgow 2019 – the European Indoor championships where fi ve Scots won medals and Muir herself claimed a memorable double gold. All in front of sold out crowds at the Emirates Arena.
Talks were on-going with the Government and sportscotland about a national indoor training centre (for athletics use only) and hopes high for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.
The global pandemic intervened – but Ian fi rmly believes the progress has only been temporarily stalled.
‘As members are well aware, it has been a very diffi cult time for our clubs, athletes and coaches, with the very limited competition opportunities and long periods where clubs have been unable to meet up at all,’ he refl ected.
‘However we have also seen a lot of great work in the way the sport has tried to respond to the situation positively, through initiatives like virtual training sessions, virtual events, online coaching sessions and amended forms of competition when allowed.
‘Many clubs have also seen an opportunity to attract new members from the large number of people who have started running during lockdown, helped by our ‘Keep on Running’ campaign.
‘We appreciate the fact people have been able to continue running throughout the pandemic, but the sport of athletics is a lot wider than running. It has particularly diffi cult for our fi eld athletes and for athletes needing access to facilities and equipment that has not been available.
Continued from pages 16 and 17 from pages 16 and 17
Winning mindset...Ian interview in PB back in 2017
‘Those diffi culties have applied to athletes across the whole spectrum, from our elite through to our juniors, although our very top level athletes have been given various exemptions and allowed to compete. ‘The situation has also presented fi nancial challenges for us and our clubs. Membership numbers have fallen, somewhat inevitably, because of the reduction in activity across the sport. ‘Event income is important to both the clubs and the governing body itself, and the lack of events has reduced income from this source signifi cantly.’
As PB went into the fi nal stages of production, the Olympics in Japan were still going ahead.
Chasing places on the team was a priority and it seems likely Scots will be well-represented within the GB and NI team once again.
‘I am really looking forward to the Olympics,’ said Ian.
‘Covid-19 issues will make it very different from previous Olympic Games, but seeing the top athletes in the world compete across a range of sports should inspire many people.
‘From a Scottish perspective we have a number of athletes who have genuine opportunities of winning medals, but none of us are under any illusions about how diffi cult winning Olympic medals actually is. I am sure our athletes will prepare as well as they can and we know they will be very well coached; we all hope that it can come right for them on the day.’
As Andy Young, who coaches Laura Muir, Jemma Reekie, and indeed Laura herself, mention elsewhere in this edition, the pathway from grassroots to elite is very much apparent in Scotland.
It’s a mantra that Ian Beattie has promoted for nine years.
Together we can grow again says Laura
Laura Muir has highlighted the importance of sport to Scottish culture and society and believes it must be given signifi cant priority. As Covid-19 restrictions begin to ease, clubs have started to resume training sessions but there remain huge challenges for athletics in Scotland to meet and clear as we strive to recover momentum and growth. And Olympic fi nalist and fi ve-times European champion Muir is adamant that everything possible should be done to facilitate a return to full training and event competition. ‘There are so many great reasons for sport, particularly sport for youngsters, to be prioritised and as we make our way out of this latest lockdown,’ said Laura.
‘The obvious physical benefi ts of getting outside and running around are clear for all to see - but the mental and social benefi ts are just as important. ‘As a child, a lot of times the thing that gets us into a sport, and the thing that keeps us there, is the friendships that you form.
‘Once it’s safe to do so, it’s important to prioritise the return of sport, and the social elements that come with it, for children across the country.’
Muir’s love of running, a passion she can trace to primary school, is only trumped by the sheer delight at the thought of a new generation being motivated by her achievements.
‘I’m so lucky to be able to run for a living and even more thrilled that, by doing that and by talking about my running, I can potentially inspire others to give sport a try. sport can bring at every level.
‘If reading this article or watching me race gets just one child or one family out today to play sport or try running, then that is a success!
‘I started athletics at about 11 years old through cross country at my primary school. I made it onto the cross country team, where I competed in regional events. I was not winning the races but just absolutely loved running.
‘From then I went to join a local athletics club that one of my friends went to and gradually built up my training.
‘I remember how encouraging my primary teacher and headteacher were. I think they just really wanted us to enjoy sport and did not put any pressure on us, which was lovely.
‘I always remember when being down at the track on club nights what seemed like a big group of people all helping one another.
‘Whether it was parents giving kids a lift, various coaches taking different training groups or some of the older athletes looking after the young ones, everyone was so supportive of one another.’
The feeling lingers that won’t change one iota when he leaves of ce.
