Why Scotland must take Olympian Duncan Scott's 'generation can't swim' warning seriously

Giving evidence to a Scottish Parliament committee that’s considering a petition by sporting body Scottish Swimming for extra funding to stop pools from closing, Scott told MSPs: “I fear that that 'generation swim' idea from Scottish Swimming is going to be a generation of 'cannot swim', and our drowning figures are only going to worsen.” He added that Alloa Leisure Bowl and Bo'ness swimming pool, where he had trained, had been shut down.

The closure of swimming pools is a sign of two things: how far away Scotland is from the idea of creating a genuine sporting culture, and how local councils have been starved of cash to the point where they have been forced to take the political flak for scrapping much-loved facilities.

Short-sighted politicians

In a written submission to the committee, Cosla said that running swimming pools provided “a challenge to local authorities facing severe budget pressures” and they needed “fair and flexible funding” to keep them open.

The problem with these cutbacks – to what may seem like optional extras to some short-sighted politicians – is that they have a significant long-term cost. Scott is right to point out that people who cannot swim are more likely to drown.

But people who do not get into the habit of regular exercise are also more likely to develop chronic health conditions which limit their ability to work and come with a heavy cost to the NHS. So an unhealthy country is also likely to be a poor one, a situation that makes funding for sporting facilities more difficult, a downward spiral we must avoid.

Scotland needs politicians with the vision and drive to recognise that we must invest in ways to encourage people to do more exercise and eat a healthier diet. As we have said before and will say again, turning Scotland into a truly ‘sporting nation’ would be one of the best things we can possibly do to transform the fortunes of this country.