Interest in sports and recreations, such as basketball, darts, skiing, athletics and snooker, has increased, thanks partly to extensive coverage on television. More people participate in sport, mainly because of the increase in leisure time and facilities, greater mobility and improvements in living standards. It is estimated that 25 million people over the age of 13 regularly take part in sport or exercise. Walking, including rambling and hiking, is followed in popularity by swimming, football, golf, keep fit and yoga, athletics, angling, squash and badminton.
Britain has pioneered facilities for sports for disabled people. Disabled athletes are encouraged to participate either in direct competition with able-bodied athletes or in parallel events.
Wimbledon, one of the four grand slam tennis tournaments, is the world's premier grass court tournament. The British Open Golf championship attracts enormous interest. In horseracing there are five classics flat races — the Derby, the Oaks, the Two Thousand Guineas, the One Thousand Guineas and the St Leger. One of the world's principal sailing events is the regatta at Cowes in the Isle of Wight. Rowing events include the Oxford and Cambridge University boat race and Henley regatta, both on the Thames.
In 1990 England were World Cup soccer semi-finalists. The Government has worked closely with the football authorities and the government of other European countries to combat spectator violence. Legislation severely restricts access to alcohol at matches. The National Football Intelligence Unit, set up in 1989, co-ordinates police information about football hooligans and strengthens liaison with overseas police forces. The use of closed-circuit television on all Football League grounds has helped the police to identify lawbreakers.
|