British Swimming today announced a four year rights deal with the BBC to broadcast swimming and other aquatic sports in the run up to the 2012 Olympics, the Commonwealth Games 2014 and beyond. Also, they partner to launch the Big Splash, a UK-wide mass-participation campaign, to get people in the pool.
Coverage over the next year includes FINA Diving World Series, Sheffield (15/16 April 2011); The LEN European Synchronised Swimming Champions Cup, Sheffield (20-22 May 2011); and The British Gas Swimming Championships (Olympic Trials), Olympic Park, London (3-10 March 2012).
The Big Splash will focus on getting people who swim to have more fun more often and also encourage new people into the pool. British Swimming and the home countries will be working with the pool industry to offer a range of exciting activities including games for family fun, sessions at local pools to teach you to be a better swimmer and a comprehensive web-based support package.
Swimming is the biggest participation sport in the UK with more than 3m people swimming once a week. But still 1 in 5 Primary School kids cannot swim – nor can around the same number of adults.Swimming is the only sport that can save your life. Over 400 people drown in the UK every year and it is the third most common cause of accidental death in children. This is the primary reason for launching Big Splash, to encourage more people get swimming across the country.
Source: swimming.org.
