The Minister of Culture welcomes the Sports Council in Bergen

– The community and vision of “the joy of sport for all” speaks volumes about the values ​​that reflect a great sporting movement. The huge amount of time spent volunteering, in both elite and grassroots sports, contributes to the joy of the sport and the great experience. And the great presentations of our leading athletes make us truly proud, stressed the Minister of Culture and Equality Anette Trettebergstuen in her address to the Norwegian Sports Council.

Growing up was shaped by sports
Trettebergstuen points to his own upbringing and the many good sporting experiences he has had alone in the swimming hall, and how prominent athletes have been good role models for him and other children and youth.

– It’s impossible to grow up without having a strong emotional connection to sport, said Trettebergstuen and added:

– Top athletes inspire and motivate and provide great memories that you carry with you for the rest of your life. Many of us are not motivated by championship medals, but by participating and being part of a social community. Sport has a unique property that eliminates the social distinctions you experience in society.

Challenging times for many people
The Minister emphasized that we all have to work hard to ensure that everyone can continue to participate in sports. Therefore, everyone should contribute to finding other ways to reduce costs.

– We must avoid being “usual for parents” to ask for extra support to be able to join. People really want to rule themselves. Instead of asking for help, there’s a danger people will find something else to do, said Trettebergstuen and added:

– None of us want sports to be excluded. Therefore, costs must come down. Here, sport itself must contribute, and the authorities must help.

Equality is too late
The Minister of Culture also mentioned equality as one of the most important priorities that the authorities have set out in the award letter to the sports organization.

– Girls should be able to dream as big as boys. There is still a long way to go before we get there. It was great to see Maren Lundby soaring down the ski flying hills in Vikersund. But it is not until 2023 that this happens. Therefore, we must speed up the equality work. I’m here to help.

The Minister of Culture then pointed to the challenge of the sport itself and how the authorities wish to facilitate it in the best possible way to meet the expectations of the sports organizations. He summarized this in the following three areas of effort:

Sports facilities
The Ministry of Culture is carrying out a national plan for the construction of sports facilities. In the past year, there have been numerous meetings with sport across the country and the authorities have received a lot of input.

– The goal is to develop a new model that will form the basis of future applications for the construction of sports facilities, said Trettebergstuen.

Five percent of LAM funds can be allocated to sports councils
Trettebergstuen pointed out that the authorities have fulfilled their promises for full VAT compensation for goods and services and for sports teams building their own facilities. At the same time, he highlighted the authority’s electric and gas support for sport, which will continue in the foreseeable future.

The authorities have also allocated an additional NOK 125 million to the sports council to help reduce the costs of children’s and youth’s participation in sport.

Finally, the Minister of Culture revealed from the podium that five percent of the local activity fund could now be kept for the sports council.

Less bureaucracy
In closing, the Minister emphasized the need for a sports application process that was not bureaucratic and simplified. Therefore, the authorities have now created a joint online portal, www.tilskudd.no, where useful information about application processes and procedures is gathered in one place.

– The experience of collaborating with a sports movement, both top sport and grassroots, is one of the best things that are allowed to be done worldwide, Trettebergstuen concluded before wishing his luck in negotiations.

Lance Heptinstall

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