“Everyone in the Commonwealth understands sport and it’s a powerful teacher by enabling you to see the commonality despite the diversity of humanity”- Professor Bruce Kidd
Sport is not just about competition and elite athletes. With the right support, sport can also contribute to advancing development goals: improving lives and bringing young people, families and communities together.
In this Q&A, former Olympian and the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS) outgoing Chair, Professor Bruce Kidd, talks about the Commonwealth’s work to advance sport as an effective instrument for social and economic development.
CABOS now has a new membership of thirteen exceptional sport and development experts and senior sports officials from across the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth: As a former Olympian, what has sport taught you and what do you think a sport culture can do to make the world a more just and equitable place?
Professor Kidd: Sport is a wonderful teacher, you learn about yourself and it gives you an opportunity to acquire discipline and self-mastery. You learn about what you need to do things well, and you learn from your mistakes. You don’t always win and you probably learn more from your defeats and losses than your victories and things that worked out. Sport teaches us about other people, whether its members of your own team, the opposing team or members from different countries. It is also a powerful language of understanding when other languages fail. Everyone in the Commonwealth understands sport and it’s a powerful teacher by enabling you to see the commonality despite the diversity of humanity. Sport does not work without co-operation and sharing. We need other people to gain the joys of sport; a basic principle which leads to a lot of sharing and exchange.
Commonwealth: Why should the Commonwealth have a focus on sport?
Professor Kidd: Sport is one of the most visible signs of the Commonwealth. Most people know about the Commonwealth because of the exchanges in cricket, netball, rugby and then of course, the Commonwealth Games every four years. They learn about the geography and policies of the Commonwealth through Commonwealth sport. Secondly there has been a long tradition of concern, interest and advocacy around sport for development in the Commonwealth.
Going back to the origins of the modern Commonwealth, there has been a shared belief that we can work together to enhance the lives of the people of the Commonwealth, particularly children and youth. We should also work very hard to provide good sporting opportunities for every citizen of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth: What is the role of CABOS?
Professor Kidd: CABOS advises Commonwealth member governments and the Commonwealth Secretariat on all aspects of sport policy with an emphasis on sport for development. Over the course of our nine years of existence we have developed a strategy on Sport for Development and Peace for the Commonwealth. We have responded to and initiated policy review on other issues ranging from women in sport to doping, match fixing and governance. But our overarching interest is Sport for Development and Peace.
Commonwealth: Why do the new members of CABOS believe it is important to be a part of the advisory body?
Professor Kidd: I think they all see the potential of the Commonwealth as a showcase for best practice in sport for development and they welcome the opportunity to influence that. They also value the forum that the Commonwealth provides for the exchange of ideas and information. The new board has also indicated their enthusiasm because they see great potential coming out of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth: How important is it for the Commonwealth and its partners to attach a development potential to major sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games?
Professor Kidd: It is very important. Unless the Commonwealth Games connects to the broad agenda of democracy and development it will lose touch with the Commonwealth as a whole and will cease to have much relevance. CABOS and the Commonwealth Secretariat are working on a policy capacity-building strategy to help all member governments have a policy around Sport for Development and Peace that reflects the best insight from research and what is happening so far.
Commonwealth: Is there a preoccupation in some countries with economic growth over social development - how does this impact on initiatives to cultivate a sports culture?
Professor Kidd: You could pick up a newspaper in any country today or log online and you will see the tension between strictly economically focused plans for development and plans that broaden the benefits of development to include the conditions for good governance, democracy, health and education. One of those conditions has to be leisure and to fill that leisure are opportunities for sport and culture. From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to all the declarations of the Commonwealth we promise all of our citizens, in particular children and youth, opportunities for sport and culture along with economic wellbeing. Life would be pretty dull if we only focus on bread on the table and a roof over our heads - sport and culture provide the rich stories of life. From an evidence based point of view, studies show the importance of health and wellbeing. Unhealthy people are not productive people and therefore, the argument for including sport and culture in any development strategy is very persuasive.
Commonwealth: There is an existing view that sport is exclusive and male dominated - what has your own experience taught you about sport and gender, and the inclusion of disadvantaged groups?
Professor Kidd: Modern sport - as we know it - was created by men for boys and men, without any consideration of the interests of girls and women. In the last two hundred years, women and girls have fought for opportunities in sport assisted by many men who believe that the joys and lessons of sport should be provided to all. CABOS has lent its weight to the struggle for gender equity across the Commonwealth, and on a number of occasions has weighed in with policy positions arguing for equal opportunities for women and girls, the promotion of qualified women in leadership positions and fair media coverage of women and girls in sport. In the last decade there have been tremendous strides forward but there is still a long way to go.
| Professor Kidd has won international accolades for his dedication to sport as an athlete and administrator and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2004. He was a gold and bronze medallist at the 1962 Commonwealth Games and was a member of the Canadian Olympic team at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, competing in the 5,000m and 10,000m races. |
Professor Kidd will continue as Chair of CABOS until the first meeting of the new membership, scheduled for June 2013.
