Former England rugby union international Alastair Hignell emphasised the need for a lasting Olympic legacy in his keynote speech at the Sussex Legacy programme launch on 29 February.
Hignell praised the work of the county sports partnership and the government's plan to create real opportunities for sport in Sussex and across the country after the 2012 Games. He said the country had drawn inspiration from previous high profile sporting events, particularly England's 2003 rugby World Cup victory.
"I'm glad to see we have learnt from the experience of the [rugby] World Cup. There was a very large increase in participation in the sport after England's win and this was in large part due to the development work that went on behind the scenes before and after New Zealand.
"The thinking about what happens after the Olympics this year in London has already taken place to ensure the games will be a participation event, and not simply a demonstration event."
Active Sussex chose the leap day, 29 February, to launch six strands of its sporting legacy plan for Sussex: Sportivate, Sport Makers, Sussex Sports Awards, School Games, Sussex Coaching Bursary and Active & Healthy Workplaces.
Sussex Legacy aims to capture the thrill of the London 2012 Games and increase the numbers of people taking part, coaching and running sport in Sussex. Introducing Sussex Legacy at the briefing at Sussex County Cricket Club, Active Sussex's Business Development Manager Geraldine Bloomfield said: "We hope to pass on the gift of a sporting habit for life through our programmes in Sussex and are proud to have Alastair support us here today."
Hignell, who now lives in Brighton, had successful careers as a rugby union international, county cricket player and BBC commentator before retirement. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999 and was awarded a CBE for his sport and charity work in 2009.
For more information about Sussex Legacy, visit the Active Sussex dedicated 2012 pages
View all the photos from the launch on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/activesussexcsp
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