Will the Minister provide an update on how they are working with Sport Wales to increase participation in mixed martial arts?
Our Term of Government remit letter to Sport Wales, supported by a total budget of £39.2m in 2023-24, sets out our expectation that Sport Wales will promote equal access to sport, supporting young and talented athletes and grassroots clubs, thereby improving access and participation for all. The Member is already aware through my answer to WQ90442 that the Welsh Government provides funding to Sport Wales which in turn is used to support National Governing Bodies, sports organisations and individual clubs via a range of grant schemes and initiatives, including support for participation campaigns.
However, Mixed Martial Arts is not currently recognised as a sport by the UK Sport Councils and therefore no National Governing Body is recognised for it either, which means it is currently ineligible for any support. Furthermore, the Governance Team at Sport Wales has not had any enquiries or engagement with any mixed martial art body in Wales relating to recognition, or any other areas.