ONE of Scotland's greatest Olympians has issued a scathing attack on SNP ministers over their decision to scrap an elite sporting body credited with training dozens of champions.
Shirley Robertson, the only British woman to have won two Golds at successive Olympics, claimed the plan to merge the Scottish Institute of Sport (SIS) into the sportscotland quango was "soul-destroying" and accused ministers of a "knee-jerk" move mo
tivated only by "money and politics".
The move, announced last week, means that the SIS will now operate within sportscotland, the body that seeks to boost development of sport across the country.
Robertson says she fears the focus on excellence fostered at the SIS will be lost, with Scotland's chances of winning more Golds at the Olympics in Beijing and London, and at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, threatened as a result.
Her attack follows the outspoken comments by BBC broadcaster Dougie Donnelly, who was sacked last week as chair of the SIS.
He said the merger had only taken place to save the SNP's face after it reversed its plan to scrap sportscotland. Robertson, who is training in Miami, said: "Prior to the SIS, there wasn't the expertise or the facilities within Scotland and a lot got lost in the British system.
"This was something for Scottish athletes. It helped them in that transition from regional and youth level to the Olympic team.
"If you speak to the athletes like (curling champion] Rhona Martin, the work that they did with the institute directly led to their medals… It was internationally recognised too. A lot of other countries were using the models."
She added: "We were beginning to see some results. Coming into an Olympic year and then to London in four years' time and then the Commonwealth Games, it was a tremendous opportunity for Scotland and sport in general and now it seems we've lost that." Robertson, 39, won her two sailing Golds at the Sydney and Athens Olympics. She hopes to compete in her third Olympics in Beijing this summer.
She said: "Why would you change something that is working? It wasn't like the results weren't coming.
"It seems a backward step at a time when we can really capitalise on things. We've got home Olympics and home Commonwealth Games, and Scottish athletes have a bit of pride about themselves.
"A lot of that is to do with the work of the Institute. The nice thing for me about it was, because it had autonomy, it could make a difference really quickly.
"If an athlete needed something or was injured, it could react very quickly. I can't imagine how it is going to be part of sportscotland."
Asked about the SNP's decision, she said: "With this move it looks like they don't want to make success happen. It isn't a priority any more – sporting success for Scotland.
"There was no consultation with the athletes or the Institute. I feel really sorry for the people who set it up. We are passionate about Scottish success and passionate about the group of athletes.
"This is soul-destroying. We were lucky to have that passion and now we've just killed it."
Robertson's comments were seized upon last night by opposition politicians who had attacked the SNP's decision.
Frank McAveety, sports spokesman for the Scottish Labour party, said: "All along we have said that this is a mad commitment. It is back-of-a-fag-packet stuff.
"The minister's handling of this has been nothing short of appalling; so bad in fact that the First Minister failed to defend him last week."
He added: "Shirley's comments reveal that there has been a sham of a consultation from day one. Scottish sport deserves better than this."
But the move was defended by ministers, who insist that it will both reduce red tape in the public sector and bring all of Scottish sport under one roof. Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said: "The institute will continue to support directly around 200 of Scotland's best athletes, to ensure they have access to the very best support, wherever they are based.
"Its objectives will remain to put more of Scotland's athletes on the podium at major international sports events. The merger is designed to remove unnecessary layers of bureaucracy and deliver the Scottish Government's ambitious plans for sport."
Maxwell remains under pressure over the affair. The SNP went into the last election promising to scrap sportscotland and bring it under the control of the Scottish Government.
However, in an embarrassing u-turn, the body was reprieved and it was announced that the SIS would go instead.
After being told he had been sacked last week, Donnelly said: "I can see why someone who had been badly briefed about elite sport could think it might be a good idea.
"That doesn't make it correct, of course, and I think it shows a lack of understanding about why the Institute was set up. We all know why they made the decision. Scrapping sportscotland was a manifesto commitment, which they realised they could not fulfil reasonably, so merging it with the Institute allowed them to save face."
The full article contains 861 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
