The Importance of Sport

Group2Leading sports lawyer Keith McGarry, Solicitor Advocate and Partner in Conn and Fenton, Lisburn gave an extremely interesting, enlightening address to the Club Monday 03 September. He pointed out that it was on this day 46 years ago Dame Mary Peters won her gold medal. His address covered the importance of sport in our lives and the power of sponsors reflecting “nothing happens without a reason”. He noted that 3% of world trade relates to sport and in the UK consumers spend £17b on sport. In NI 37% of the population participated in a sport in the last 7 days and sport in NI employs 17,900. He also reflected that newspapers cover sport very differently - the sports pages cover the successes and accomplishments but the front pages cover the failures! However he mainly considered the power sponsors have on sportsmen and women and organising bodies and giving many examples reflected on the restrictions imposed by them. Photo shows Keith McGarry (left) with Hon. Member Dame Mary Peters, President Mark and Vice President Ken Nixon.