Sports Policy Analysis

Running Head: SPORTS POLICY ANALYSIS
Sports Policy Analysis
Name of the Student
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Author Note

1SPORTS POLICY ANALYSIS
Table of Contents
1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................2
2. Understanding the Implementation of Sports Policy in the United Kingdom by the
British Sports Council (1979 – 1990) using the Advocacy Coalition Framework....................3
2.1. Using a Formal Legal Authority to Make Policy Decisions.......................................3
2.2. Role of Public Opinion in Governing Sports Policy...................................................3
2.3. Strategic Use of Information to Guide Sport Policy...................................................4
2.4. Use of Financial Resources for the Implementation of Sport Policy..........................5
2.5. Skill Leadership for Drafting, Implementing and Supporting Sport Policy................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
References and Bibliography...................................................................................................10

2SPORTS POLICY ANALYSIS
1. Introduction
The British Sports Council had a crucial role to play in influencing sport’s policy in
the country in the decade of the 1960’s, the 1970’s and the 1980’s. In spite of playing a
pivotal role in orchestrating and developing sports events of different varieties and categories
in this three decade long period, the British Sports Council has not received as much attention
from sports scholar’s and practitioners as it ought to. Sport is a passion for people living in
the United Kingdom, and the country of Great Britain is no exception. A few well-known
examples of the sports that are played by people in the United Kingdom at the national and
international levels include cricket, football, hockey, basketball tennis and swimming. The
United Kingdom has an international presence in sports such as cricket, tennis and football,
having produced several greats and legends in all three sports over the years. The United
Kingdom is also known to take part quite actively in Olympic events and has won several
awards and laurels in the course of doing so. This report reviews and analyzes the sports
policy that was followed in the United Kingdom between 1979 and 1990 by the British
Sports Council, at a time when Margaret Thatcher was the premier of the country. The
analysis is carried out using the advocacy coalition framework. The report concludes with the
statement, that this sports policy did not follow all the caveats outlined in the advocacy
coalition framework and was therefore not as effective as it could have been.

3SPORTS POLICY ANALYSIS
2. Understanding the Implementation of Sports Policy in the United
Kingdom by the British Sports Council (1979 – 1990) using the
Advocacy Coalition Framework
2.1. Using a Formal Legal Authority to Make Policy Decisions
According to the advocacy coalition framework, people holding legal positions ought
to be included as members of advocacy coalitions as they can serve as valuable resources
for such coalitions and influence policy making and policy change in a considerable way
(Weible et al. 2009). British sports policy as drawn up and implemented by the British
Council from the later part of the 1970’s was governed and influenced primarily by 32
members who formed the membership of this council. Developing any settled sports
policy proved to be quite difficult at this point of time and effective working relationships
were primarily forged rather than actually established, as many members of the Council
who were not of conservative political views found it difficult to express their voices and
opinions under the autocratic leadership of Margaret Thatcher (Jefferys 2016). Notably,
there was no member of the legislature who occupied an important position in the sports
council. Most of the members belonged to the labor party rather than the conservative,
and struggled quite a bit in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s to adjust to the conservative
leadership of Margaret Thatcher. The council members struggled long and hard to adapt
to the adversarial politics so prevalent at this point of time and there was no member of
the legislature or the judiciary who formed a valuable addition to the British Sports
Council (Gillett and Tennent 2018).
2.2. Role of Public Opinion in Governing Sports Policy
The advocacy coalition framework states that opinion polls which show support for
the policy positions of a coalition normally constitute a major resource for those participating