On the day 700 prisoners in England and Wales were released early, I was driving to Wolverhampton for an event organised by the not-for-profit group ConnectSport. It was to celebrate local sports clubs and initiatives that “help young people believe in themselves and realise what they’re capable of” as described by Ranjit Singh, a local legend in the world of wrestling, martial arts and Kabaddi.
I listened to several news cycles that detailed the risks of early release pitched against the intractable challenge of insufficient prison capacity. It was presented as a hopeless logjam with no solutions. Tagging was the only option mentioned as a way of reducing reoffending rates.
There is clearly no single solution, but it is an area where sport can and does make a difference and could do in a greater way, particularly if we start to see sport as more than a source of entertainment or physical fitness.
In his annual report, Charlie Taylor, HM chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales, emphasised the serious need to improve prisoners’ access to gyms and physical activity. Where it works, it works powerfully.
Twenty-five prisons and young offender institutions organise parkrun and research shows a range of benefits, including better mental and physical health; improved self-esteem and confidence; increased sense of purpose and achievement; and the creation of a safe, humanising and non-judgmental space in which to be active, feel valued and respected. All crucial factors that contribute to rehabilitation and reduced reoffending.
The former triathlete Chrissie Wellington, the Ironman world champion, is leading a new initiative, Prison Run, to train 20 men and women from three prisons, all nearing release, to run the 2027 London Marathon. Most will never have run more than a few miles. A group of mentors will coach them from their first run to marathon distance in prison, on temporary release days and post-release. They plan to bolster fitness programmes inside prison and provide support for life outside prison by connecting sport, mentoring, employment and community.
John McAvoy, a Nike-sponsored triathlete who broke world indoor rowing records while in prison for armed robbery, will be part of the coaching team. McAvoy describes Prison Run as a chance to “break the cycle” where 67.1% of adults released from sentences of less than 12 months reoffend.
Sport transformed McEvoy’s life and gave him a purpose, a community and a burning belief that the past does not have to define the future. He is driven to share it with others. “Everyone deserves a second chance,” he says. “Sometimes they just need someone to believe in them and I will as I run alongside them during this special event.”
Sport and physical activity can contribute to the much-needed pathway “through the gate” that is so broken. Highly praised by Taylor, 180 Project engages prisoners in CrossFit and connects them to a community when they come out with housing, life-coaching and other vital support services linked around the gym.
The project leaders invited me to run an indoor rowing masterclass. I met a group of motivated prisoners in their last year or so behind bars, hungry for tips to improve their scores and know what 500m splits to aim for on the rowing machine. Most crucially, they were building a new, common language, positive behaviours and a fresh perspective on life and community that could lead to a different future path.
One of the prisoners who left four months ago had been in and out of prison from the age of 15 and found more than fitness through 180 Project. He describes becoming part of a community and family of people “all dealing with something” and credits this project with “building my own self-awareness, becoming a better person to see the potential that’s inside”.
Lindsey Middleton, the inspiration co-founder of 180 Project, told me “people get physically, mentally, emotionally well and socially connected” through what they do.
It is an area where the UK has been building world-leading expertise. The Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice connects local sports organisations with academics and government partners for a clearer understanding of how sport can help reduce crime.
Under James Mapstone’s leadership the alliance has gained a global reputation leading to a request to produce a youth crime prevention initiative across south-east Asia for the International Olympic Committee, funded by the French Development Agency.
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The project aims to support 82,000 young people through 11 projects in Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Across the region, sport is being taken seriously as a tool to prevent youth crime and strengthen community resilience.
This work has been a priority for Kirsty Coventry since she became the IOC president and chose to emphasise sport’s role in fostering safer and stronger communities.
A recent poll from Forward Trust, a charity that supports people to recover from addiction and leave crime behind, showed strong public support for the use of rehabilitation programmes. The current crisis offers a moment where sport and physical activity could contribute to that on a bigger scale through its ability to influence communities, shape identities, work with government and other public authorities while adapting to local needs.
These ideas aren’t new. Prof Rosie Meek, a chartered psychologist and prison scholar at Royal Holloway, University of London has been researching the positive effect of sport and physical activity in prisons for more than 20 years.
Yet it remains underutilised. The role of sport and physical activity within prison life is overdue an update in order to understand the broader developmental and social benefits beyond physical fitness.
Outside, there is great scope to develop sport’s contributions to social challenges across our communities. Wellington has pledged through Prison Run to use sport to replace stigma with real stories of resilience, potential and second chances. Imagine a world where that becomes a proud part of sport’s contribution to the country.
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