Connery urges Executive to fund sporting hopefuls

27th June 2005

SIR Sean Connery has launched an attack on the Scottish Executive and the Westminster government for their failure to fund promising sports stars such as Andrew Murray.

The actor and prominent SNP supporter spoke out after watching Saturday's match on Centre Court at Wimbledon, where he and his wife were among the guests of honour.

Praising the 18-year-old from Dunblane, Sir Sean later criticised the fact that he had not received financial backing. He highlighted the case of Scottish squash champion Peter Nicol who plays for England, he said, because of financial reasons. The actor told BBC Radio Five Live after the match: "The way they help people, certainly from Scotland, is zilch in the UK. We lost Peter Nicol, who now plays for England at squash and is now a world champion, and he's Scottish. Why? Because he wasn't funded. Now Andrew isn't funded so much and he's in Barcelona."

Sir Sean, who joined in the Mexican waves from his seat in the Centre Court's Royal box, described Murray's performance as inspiring and a "great emotional trip".

He said: "It was an absolutely extraordinary match, and I have to say that Andrew Murray is as gifted as anybody who's ever played the game. But what was evident was that he is not fit enough to stand up to the ritual. The boy here has played fantastic tennis. I don't think I've seen anything like it; he's won three straight sets, was two up on Nalbandian, who was a Wimbledon finalist.

"I hope the tennis people get off their arses and do something about it and not hold it against him that he comes from Scotland. If nobody is going to make the move in Westminster then it's certainly not going to happen with the Executive in Scotland, because that's exactly what happened to Peter Nicol. Now, somebody has to get their arse off the ground and help him."