Premier League adds UK£2 million to participation fund

13 January 2012 | Posted in Soccer, Europe | By James Emmett

The English Premier League has injected an extra UK£2million into its Premier League 4 Sport (PL4S) sports participation programme.

Launched in 2009, PL4S is a joint venture between the Premier League, Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust. It was funded by a UK£3.8 million investment through the Premier League Creating Chances programme in partnership with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

The programme is aimed at increasing youth participation in sport and sees Premier League clubs act as hubs linked to community sports clubs and facilities.

The extra UK£2 million investment has come after the programme exceeded its initial target of engaging 25,000 people in the Olympic sports of badminton, judo, table tennis and volleyball by over 50 per cent.

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The extra money, which will be injected over a two-year period, will ensure four more sports - basketball, handball, hockey and netball - are added to the programme and will mean that by 2013 Premier League investment will have been UK£5.8 million, with an extra UK£1.24 million added through Sportsmatch funding.

"The extra funding announced today by the Premier League means that the project will be able to offer even more sports," said Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt. "Initiatives like this will do a huge amount to help deliver the government’s plans to encourage young people to develop a sporting habit for life."

"Delivering on the promises of London 2012 is not necessarily the job of the Premier League, but we say why not?" said Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore. "We have the ability to do it and it is a yet another opportunity to work in partnership with government and make a positive contribution."