This additional allocation occurred as the government updated the 2023 APBN on Friday. This new balance is carried out in line with developments in spending and income throughout this year.

– This is fantastic news for all children and young people who want to take part in sporting activities across the country. The government is really listening to input from sports across the country, said sports president Zaineb Al-Samarai.

He said the additional allocation provided by the government was historic.

– As far as we know, this is the first time the government has provided grants to our affected sports teams through the state budget, said Al-Samarai.

Earlier this year, the government allocated an additional NOK 125 million to grassroots sport as a result of additional profits at Norsk Tipping.

NIF must distribute

Minister for Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery (Ap) believes that extra money for children and young people is absolutely necessary at a time when many people are struggling to make ends meet.

– There are more families now than ever who are having difficulty paying for expenses and equipment. Across the country, sports offer valuable community. We want as many people as possible to have the opportunity to experience mastery, health, and belonging. That is why we are now making an extra contribution in this way, he said.

The Minister pointed out that one in three children from low-income families do not participate in regular recreational activities. The government will do something about it.

– This is the most important thing we work on. We want children to have equal conditions – regardless of their parents’ finances. “Many have done a lot of things well, but we want to give extra help to sports teams to do what they can and put in more,” Jaffery said.

It is the Norwegian Sports Confederation that will distribute the 100 million that the government has now set aside. The funds will be distributed to teams and associations in areas that have many children in low-income families.

Anti-poverty fund

Sports president Al-Samarai said the money now being given to children and teenagers as Christmas gifts this year was for sports.

– That we are getting this funding from the national budget is a welcome and very important thing at a very demanding time for sport. Unlike funds allocated before the summer, this allocation does not mean playing funds will be reduced for example. factory construction and our core activities, said Zaineb.

It is known that sports and volunteers will receive full VAT compensation for the current year. In line with this, money has also been set aside in next year’s APBN.

The sport has on several occasions advocated that a scheme with full VAT compensation should be set up. This will remove uncertainty as to whether sufficient funds have been set aside for the scheme. Currently, this wish has not been fulfilled.

In the 2024 budget, the government has also allocated ten million kroner for an action plan aimed at increasing participation in sports. It is planned to be completed in spring 2024.

(© NTB)