Sport Northern Ireland

File:House of Sport - geograph.org.uk - 683802.jpg

The organisation was established under the Recreation and Youth Service (Northern Ireland) Order 1973,{{cite web|url = https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1973/apr/10/recreation-and-youth-services-northern | website = api.parliament.uk| title = Recreation and Youth Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1973 }} with its purpose defined by Article 3 of the Recreation and Youth Service (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.{{cite web|url = https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1986/dec/02/recreation-and-youth-service-northern | website =api.parliament.uk | title = Recreation and Youth Service (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 }} Another organisation, the Youth and Sports Council for Northern Ireland, had been established by the Youth Welfare, Physical Training and Recreation Act of 1962.

The organisation, which is also known as Sport NI, was responsible Northern Ireland's involvement in the UK School Games from 2006 onwards.{{fact|date=September 2024}} Sport NI was involved in the building of Northern Ireland's first Olympic-size (50m) swimming pool.{{cite web|url = http://www.northdown.gov.uk/template1.asp?pid=1017&area=6 | website = northdown.gov.uk | title = New Leisure Centre and Olympic Pool | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20101214163606/http://www.northdown.gov.uk/template1.asp?pid=1017&area= | archivedate = 14 December 2010 }} The Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex opened in 2013.{{cite web|url = https://www.sportni.net/50m-pool/ | website = sportni.net | publisher = Sport NI | title = 50m Pool | accessdate = 20 September 2024 }}

In 2015, a number of members of the organisation's board resigned, following the publication of a report into issues with the "leadership, management and the overall culture" of Sport NI.{{cite web|url = https://www.bbc.com/sport/northern-ireland/68083631 | website = bbc.com | title = Sport Northern Ireland return £1m over last two years after underspend | date = 25 January 2024 | accessdate = 20 September 2024 }} The organisation's chairperson and vice-chair also stepped down.{{cite web|url = https://www.bbc.com/sport/northern-ireland/58458203 | website = bbc.com | title = Sport NI: Public body receives no confidence vote from its own staff | date = 6 September 2021 | accessdate = 20 September 2024 | quote = Last year, a report by the National Audit Office laid bare a turbulent four-year period [..] which had seen the CEO [..] suspended, dismissed and then reinstated - as well as the resignation of the chairman, vice-chairman and nine board members }}

In early 2021, Sport NI oversaw the disbursement of over £22m in funding to sports bodies in the region, including the GAA Ulster Council, Irish Football Association, Golf Ireland and IRFU Ulster Branch, to "support sporting bodies through the [COVID19] pandemic".{{cite web|url = https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/boxing/revealed-how-much-every-sport-in-northern-ireland-will-receive-as-part-of-the-sports-sustainability-fund/40229446.html | website = belfasttelegraph.co.uk | title = Revealed: How much every sport in Northern Ireland will receive as part of the Sports Sustainability Fund | date = 23 March 2021 | accessdate = 20 September 2024 }} This program was later described as "flawed" with the Northern Ireland Audit Office questioning why over £1.5m (nearly 7% of the total fund) was given to the Royal County Down Golf Club - when the club already had a "very significant bank balance and a high level of reserves".{{cite web|url = https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus/covid-fund-was-flawed-admits-chief-of-sport-ni/41066946.html | website = belfasttelegraph.co.uk | title = Covid fund was 'flawed', admits chief of Sport NI | date = 23 March 2021 | accessdate = 20 September 2024 }}

A BBC news article, dated January 2024, noted that the organisation's CEO was absent from the post, with the former Olympic rower Richard Archibald then acting as "interim CEO".

Image:The House of Sport, Belfast - geograph.org.uk - 1423972.jpg

The Sports Institute for Northern Ireland (SINI), with facilities at Ulster University's Jordanstown campus (UUJ), was established as a partnership between Sport NI and Ulster University.{{cite web | url=http://sini.co.uk/about-us/ | title=About Us - Sports Institute of Northern Ireland | publisher=SINI | accessdate=December 29, 2014 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20160407055023/http://sini.co.uk:80/about-us | archivedate = 7 April 2016 }} It was formed in 2002 to create a "high performance sporting system" in Northern Ireland.{{cite web| url = http://www.niathletics.org/opencontent/default.asp?itemid=548§ion=Development | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111005184636/http://www.niathletics.org/opencontent/default.asp?itemid=548§ion=Development | title = Performance Development Centres & SINI | website = niathletics.org | archivedate = 5 October 2011 }} Primarily based at UUJ, the institute has also operated separate 'Performance Development Centres' (PDCs) in Bangor, Belfast, Cookstown and Lisburn.{{cite web |url = http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/community-telegraph/sport/elite-sports-centres-to-develop-stars-of-the-future-14713240.html?action=Popup&gallery=no | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121020152320/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/community-telegraph/sport/elite-sports-centres-to-develop-stars-of-the-future-14713240.html?action=Popup&gallery=no | archive-date = 20 October 2012 | work = Belfast Telegraph |date = 2010 | title = Elite sports centres to develop stars of the future}} SINI's services include performance planning, sport medicine, physiotherapy, performance analysis and advice.{{cite web | url=http://sini.co.uk/what-we-offer/ | title=What We Offer - Sports Institute Northern Ireland | publisher=SINI | accessdate=December 29, 2014 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20160220083413/http://sini.co.uk/what-we-offer/ | archivedate = 20 February 2016 }}

Sport NI also operates a national outdoor training centre, the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre, near Tollymore Forest Park at the base of the Mourne Mountains.{{cite web|url = https://www.tollymore.com/about-us/| website = tollymore.com | publisher = Sport NI | title = About Us - Tollymore National Outdoor Centre| accessdate = 20 September 2024 | quote = Tollymore National Outdoor Centre, situated on the edge of the Mournes, is [..] funded and managed by Sport Northern Ireland }} This facility, used as a training base for mountaineering and canoeing, was built in 1970.{{fact|date=September 2024}}

• Sport Ireland, similar organisation for the Republic of Ireland
• Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games
• Northern Ireland Federation of Sub-Aqua Clubs

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official|http://www.sportni.net}}
• [http://www.tollymore.com Tollymore National Outdoor Centre website]

{{Authority control}}

{{Sports governing bodies in the United Kingdom}}

Category:1973 establishments in Northern Ireland

Category:Government agencies established in 1973

Category:Organisations based in Belfast

Category:Physical education in the United Kingdom

Category:Non-departmental public bodies of the Northern Ireland Executive