Sport in the United Kingdom sports combined have less than one-third the participation of football. Additionally, a British sport journalist pointed out that football academies are "really bad at letting players out of the system who aren't going to make it", frequently keeping players until age 17 or 18, beyond an age at which they can reasonably be developed for top-level basketball. Another issue is politically related. Basketball is not played in the elite fee-paying secondary schools that produce a disproportionate share of the UK's political leaders. Also, several British basketball insiders have cited problems with the sport's governance within the UK, with Kevin Routledge,
Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities changed to "Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities" following the appointment of Carla Qualtrough to the role. Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities The Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities (previously the Minister of State (Sport)) is a Government of Canada cabinet minister responsible for Sport Canada, who reports to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The current minister is Kirsty Duncan. The specific name of the ministerial designation has changed many times since the position was introduced in 1961. The title "Secretary of State (Sport)" was introduced in January 2007, when Guergis was appointed to the position.