Tag: football

Football Governance Bill: Bishop of Sheffield welcomes legislation

The Bishop of Sheffield spoke at the second reading of the Football Governance Bill on 13th November 2024, welcoming the legislation and the strengthening of regulation and protections for football governance:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I congratulate the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Minister for securing this debate, and thank the previous Government for their efforts to ensure that the sport of football—a national treasure beloved of so many—is more effectively regulated.

I realise that I cannot claim that football was made in Sheffield but, in addition to the codification referred to by the noble Lord, Lord Parkinson, in London in 1863, a second codification of the beautiful game took place in Sheffield in 1867—another early governance document for the sport that was influential for decades across the north. The city is home to the oldest football club in the world, Hallam FC, as well as to the two much better-known professional football clubs, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday.

As Bishop of Sheffield, it gives me great pleasure to contribute to this important debate. It is a particular privilege to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson. I want to say, first, something about the relationship between football clubs and their communities; secondly, something about financial stability; and thirdly, something about the responsibility of football clubs in relation to the climate emergency.

Continue reading “Football Governance Bill: Bishop of Sheffield welcomes legislation”

Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling advertising, rehabilitation, education and football

On 23rd, 25th & 26th November 2020 the Bishop of St Albans received  written answers to questions on gambling advertising, rehabilitation, education and football:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the announcement that Burnley FC are working with the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust to educate staff and supporters about the risks of gambling, what representations they have made to the Premier League to encourage clubs to adopt similar initiatives. [HL10378] Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about gambling advertising, rehabilitation, education and football”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about ‘gamblification’ of sport

Bishop St Albans June 2015On 9th January 2020 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Baroness Barran, repeated a Government statement on the Football Association and Bet365. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, the huge rise in what many campaigners are calling the gamblification of sport is happening rapidly before our eyes. The Gambling Commission itself has identified 55,000 teenagers in this country suffering from gambling-related harm and 430,000 adults. Simon Stevens, the head of the NHS, has pointed out that it is costing a hard-pressed NHS up to £1.2 billion a year. Just yesterday, a new gambling clinic opened in Sunderland funded by the NHS. Will this review, which we are grateful that Her Majesty’s Government have promised, include the issue of the gamblification of sport and ​look at things such as logos on shirts and wraparound adverts around pitches—all of which are excluded at the moment, which make a mockery of the whistle-to-whistle ban that we were promised? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about ‘gamblification’ of sport”

Bishop of Leeds says far-right fascism behind rising racism at football matches

18.12.05 Leeds Brexit deal debateOn 15th October 2019 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Baroness Barran, repeated a Government statement about racism in  football. The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, it is very clear that what we saw in that match yesterday is just part of a much wider issue around the rise of far-right fascism in eastern European countries. Are the Government paying attention to that, and to the context in which this particular phenomenon in football fits in? Continue reading “Bishop of Leeds says far-right fascism behind rising racism at football matches”