CLIVE EFFORD MP launched an attack on the government yesterday after recent figures showed almost 250,000 people had stopped playing sport over the last six months in England. 

Labour Shadow sports minister hit out at Prime Minister David Cameron for wasting “a once in a generation opportunity to inspire people to get active and play sport.”

A review in government spending is expected in August and the latest figures could spell wide-ranging public-sector cuts. 

Efford said: “The government’s consultation is five years too late and can’t hide the fact that with a year to Rio the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic legacy is crumbling. 

“David Cameron’s sport strategy has been an abject failure — he’s wasted a once in a generation opportunity to inspire people to get active and play sport.

“The Prime Minister’s own Sports Minister has contradicted him again and admitted that fewer people are playing sport since the Olympics. 

“They’ve actually taken the country backwards after the high point of 2012 and wasted the investment and opportunity that came with it.

“Labour has long been calling for a long-term cross-departmental sports strategy. Ministers must finally follow Labour’s lead and make the radical decisions we need to help future generations get active and enjoy sport.”

Crouch attempted to defend the Olympic legacy, saying: “I think there has been a very strong legacy from the Olympics.

“I think we need to remember that there are more people playing sport or participating in sport since we won the bid in 2005 and since the coalition came into power in 2010.”

However, she then contradicted herself by admitting that there was  “downward trend in participation.”

The number of adults in England who failed to take part in any sporting activity each month has risen to 25.2 million from 23.6m in London 2012.

And speaking in June, Crouch admitted that a major overhaul was needed. She said: “We have got a sport strategy that is very much out of date and that is the strategy that Sport England is designed to deliver. I’m saying that I’m going to rip up that strategy and start again.”

Olympic sports funding escaped any cuts in the spending review in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics and has been able to maintain the same levels for the four years to Rio 2016.