The House of Lords Committee on Soft Power and the UK’s influence recently published a report which highlights the role of sport as an important tool for promoting Britain internationally.
The ad-hoc committee was formed in May 2013 and took evidence from a wide range of influential people including business leaders, politicians, diplomats and academics.
From a sporting perspective, the Committee heard oral evidence from the England and Wales Cricket Board, Premier League and former British Olympic Association Chairman Lord Colin Moynihan.
Amongst the key findings, the report has shown sport to have an almost universal appeal that crosses language and cultural barriers, making it, in the British Council's eyes, "the most accessible and exportable of the UK's soft power assets”.
London 2012 was deemed to have had a significant impact on how the international community perceives the UK, by reinforcing many attractive features of the UK including:
- cutting-edge technology
- innovation in infrastructure
- management and organisational skills
- helpful volunteers
- enthusiastic audiences.
From a business perspective, the Games had "opened almost every door" in Brazil and contributed to an increase in British inbound tourism.
Similarly, the report mentions that the Premier League was said to rank alongside the monarchy and the BBC as "the most admired British institutions and the institutions that make people feel better about the UK".
The fact that it is broadcast in 212 countries, generating hundreds of millions in international revenue, clearly demonstrates its value as a global product.
The report recommends that the UK should work to find a way to retain the "glow" attached to British sport institutions and promote the UK as a reserve of expertise in the design and delivery of megaprojects like the London 2012 Games and the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
