We were delighted to welcome legendary middle-distance running and TV commentator Steve Cram, Scotland's most decorated track and field athlete Eilidh Doyle, and Chief Executive of Scottish Athletics Colin Hutchison as our panellists at Lindsays Sports Forum in Glasgow last night (Tuesday 27 February 2024) to discuss 'Athletics in Scotland'.
Alasdair Cummings, our Managing Partner, welcomed our guests at the Radisson Blu hotel and then introduced our panel led by Ian Beattie MBE, our Chief Operating Officer and Chair of UK Athletics.
We staged our forum just days after almost 2,300 athletes from across Scotland competed in the Lindsays National XC at Callendar Park, Falkirk, organised by Scottish Athletics on Saturday - the tenth year that we have supported the championships. And the key message emphasised throughout the panel discussion was that new ways must be found to help amateur sports clubs survive - and encourage more young people into athletics.
Photos by Jamie Simpson. L-R: Steve Cram, Colin Hutchison, Eilidh Doyle, Ian Beattie
Steve Cram, the Olympic 1,500 metres medallist - now the BBC’s voice of athletics - highlighted the pivotal role of grassroots action in Scottish sport as he spoke ahead of the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow this weekend.
“They still have a massive role to play,” said former World, European and Commonwealth champion Steve Cram.
“How we encourage young people into our sport is getting increasingly challenging. That’s where clubs have an incredibly important job to do. But we’ve got to help them as much as we can - through federations, through sponsorship.
“We've got to find ways to help clubs survive in the modern world. It’s harder now for amateur sports clubs to exist than it used to be.”
Athletes from 140 countries are descending on Glasgow to compete at the Emirates Arena this weekend - with Scots Laura Muir and Josh Kerr among the medal favourites in the 3,000 metres. And there are hopes that their performances - among the world’s most elite athletes as they count down to the Olympic Games in Paris this summer - could help continue to inspire the up-and-coming generation of Scottish athletes.
Turning to the weekend ahead and its wider impact, Steve said: “I’m looking forward to it immensely. Whenever we have a championships in the UK it’s always that little bit extra special, especially with this being in an Olympic year too.
“Everybody knows what an impact the 2014 Commonwealth Games had here. Events like that get young eyes on sport. The next question is ‘where can I go and do that?’ I always say whenever you have a champs it’s incumbent on the clubs to be ready for the enquiries. They will happen, you’ve just got to be ready for them.”
Eilidh Doyle, an ambassador for the indoor championships, also highlighted the impact of strong grassroots sport - and the need for businesses to get behind it with sponsorship to support the next generation of athletes.
Eilidh said: “Without grassroots events you don’t get your Laura Muirs and Josh Kerrs. That’s how you build. It’s fantastic when you see the end result. But the crucial part is the grassroots. That’s where the stepping stones are made. It’s hugely important.”
As well as talking about this weekend's events in Glasgow, Steve, Eilidh and Scottish Athletics Chief Executive Colin Hutchison took questions from the 120 or more guests on a range of topics affecting the sport.
Colin Hutchison said: “We appreciate Lindsays giving us the space to promote athletics in Scotland.
“It’s nice to have the chance to do sessions like this. To hear from people like Eilidh and Steve is pretty inspirational.”
Speaking after the forum, Ian Beattie said: “To hear some of the insight and experiences from Steve, Eilidh and Colin not just on elite athletics, but how the success of that can impact upon grassroots sport was just fantastic. We’re really grateful to them for sharing their time.
“As a firm, Lindsays is incredibly proud to be able to support athletics in Scotland. Through our sponsorship of the likes of the Lindsays XC with scottishathletics, we hope we are playing our part in encouraging people into running and healthier living. From parkrunner to ultra-runner, it is a sport everyone can enjoy.”
Athletics clubs represented at the sports forum were Cambuslang Harriers, Garscube Harriers, Giffnock North, Kilbarchan, Shettleston Harriers and Victoria Park City of Glasgow.
