Tokyo Paralympics: UK government call on clubs to use £100m funding to make sport more accessible

Clubs need to use the £100m of funding available to make sport "more accessible" for disabled people following Paralympics GB's achievements in Tokyo, says the government.

Britain won 30 gold medals over the first eight days of the Paralympics.

The Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson, said that showed the "life-changing impact sport can play".

He added he wants clubs to "play their part to help those who want to become involved in sport at a recreational level and reap all the benefits it offers".

Tomlinson said: "This funding plays an important role in opening up sports for disabled people, even nurturing the next generation of Paralympic stars."

Despite progress in recent years, the pandemic has impacted the activity levels of disabled people particularly hard.

Between November 2019 and November 2020, taking in the first eight months of the coronavirus pandemic, there was an increase in the proportion of disabled people who were inactive.

A survey by the charity Activity Alliance in February found that twice the number of disabled people felt coronavirus had reduced their ability to take part in sport or physical activity "to a great extent" compared with non-disabled people.

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England's chief executive, said "more work than ever is therefore needed to address this".

He added: "Very few disabled people ever become Paralympians - but all should have the chance for sport and activity to be part of their lives."

Britain's Paralympians will receive £61.8m in UK Sport funding in the build-up to Paris 2024.

Sport England has committed to investing £40m into a Tackling Inequalities Fund, which will target specific groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic, including people with long-term limiting health conditions and disabled people.

Barry Horne, chief executive of Activity Alliance, said: "The Paralympic Games are a fantastic platform to showcase elite disabled sports people's talent on a global stage.

"Undoubtedly, they play a role in changing some attitudes towards disabled people in sport and activity. But we need to recognise that only a small percentage of disabled people in this country will want to or can become Paralympians.

"Disabled people deserve the right to opportunities to be active wherever they live and however they choose - from the playground right through to old age."