360,000 Kids quit sport this week - Foster

12.12.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 24th Jul 2006

As the first week of school holidays begins (Monday 24th), the Liberal Democrats have released new analysis of Government figures showing that 360,000 of the 515,000 children (70%) leaving school this year will drop out of sports altogether as they leave the school gates.

Commenting, Bath's MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said:

"It's shameful that so many kids quit sport when they leave school.

"Many kids are so turned off by school sport that last week's PE lesson will be the final time they take part in sport.

"I'd like to see Government help offer a wide and tempting menu of school sports, like Jamie Oliver has tried to do for school food.

"If more kids can play the school sports they enjoy most, such as dance or martial arts, then they're more likely to carry on playing when they leave.

"We also need even stronger links between schools and sports clubs so kids need not find new facilities as they move on to university or the world of work.

"It's essential that we defuse the time bomb of childhood obesity now. Sport has a key role to play."