Diabetes in Sport

Sureena Brackenridge Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Chris Bloore]

The hon. Member is absolutely right to raise that point. Today I want to talk about the issue of stigma connected with diabetes and sport, particularly type 1 diabetes, and some of the inappropriate stereotypes that put people off taking part in sport, which then impacts their health.

Exercise can reduce the amount of insulin needed, help maintain a healthy weight, improve blood pressure and cholesterol, and support mental health by reducing stress and improving mood. There is no single best form of exercise for everyone with diabetes; what matters is moving in ways that people enjoy and can sustain, whether that is playing football, dancing or simply going for a walk.

I want to tell the House about Chris Bright, who is in the Public Gallery. I met Chris playing futsal, a fast-paced, small-sided football game that uses a heavier ball and which started becoming popular in leisure centres about a decade ago. For those unfamiliar, futsal is a sport loved by many football fanatics; indeed, hon. Members might know Max Kilman, currently at West Ham, who played futsal as a young man and represented England. Chris and I lived close to each other in Redditch and often travelled to games together. He was not only a special talent but someone who worked incredibly hard, took great care of himself and always strived to be better.

Our team was successful—a modern-day Crazy Gang of players of many nationalities—but none of us knew the extra challenges Chris faced managing his diabetes alongside training. One day, on driving him home from a game, I was shocked when I noticed that he was injecting himself because his levels were not where they needed to be. Looking back, I cannot believe how underprepared we were, as a club or even as his teammates, to support him.

Chris is an unrelenting personality. That is why he went on to play international futsal for Wales. More than that, Chris has been a pioneer in the diabetes community, setting up the Diabetes Football Community in Worcestershire. The group runs football teams for all ages and genders, holds family days and provides peer support, making sport accessible and welcoming for people with diabetes. Chris’s work is exactly the kind of grassroots leadership we need to replicate across the country, but these personal efforts cannot replace systemic change. That is why I want to share some stories from parents whose children with diabetes have faced exclusion, misunderstanding and stigma when they have tried to take part in sport.

Parent One told me their 10-year-old child was virtually forced out of their football team because the manager said he could not cope with the child’s condition, even though the parent attended every match and training session and never asked for special treatment. They moved their child to another team where the manager also had type 1 diabetes, which helped. Parent Two described being actively discouraged from sending their son to a swimming lesson. They offered to monitor and treat him as needed, train a staff member and comply with safeguarding checks, but were told no parents were allowed in and their offers were refused. They only found another swim class after contacting Swim England directly. Parent Three shared their experiences with karate. After diagnosis, they were initially welcomed because the sensei’s stepson also had type 1 diabetes, but after a hypo incident treated on the sidelines, they were asked to leave the dojo for

“eating and not keeping still,”

which was deeply upsetting and led them to stop going to classes.

Another parent spoke of their child not being selected for a school cricket tournament because the sports lead did not want the “hassle” of caring for him, even though children with no interest in cricket were picked. Another child was sidelined from hockey matches after a coach showed clear misunderstanding and frustration about managing a hypo incident. The child eventually switched to football where the support was better. Even at elite level, a young player in a premier league performance squad experienced exclusion from games after a hypo, despite family reassurance that he was fit to play. The coach never checked in and the player did not get a single minute in an important match, leaving him deeply upset. He ultimately left the club despite the apologies and offers of training for coaches—all because of stigma about something that affects millions of people in this country.

[Mrs Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

I thank my hon. Friend for giving way and for encouraging awareness of the often unnecessary barriers faced by people with diabetes. We know the huge physical and social benefits of sport, yet stigma, lack of awareness and poor policies, as described, often hold people back. Only a small fraction of coaches have diabetes training and nearly half of people with diabetes say they have been told they cannot be active. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need sporting bodies to prioritise awareness and education and to tackle stigma, so that everyone can enjoy sport?

[Chris Bloore]

I thank my hon. Friend for a very articulate summary of where we are. We cannot risk losing these athletes from the system—or even risk losing the people who want to play sport at a grassroots level, just to keep fit and keep up friendships.

The stories that I have told today expose a systemic failure: many coaches, schools, and sporting bodies are ill-equipped to support people with diabetes, creating unnecessary barriers to participation and enjoyment. Of 184 national governing bodies in sport, only 20 mention diabetes on their websites or in policy documents, and just four have specific policies to support people with diabetes. That is simply not good enough, especially as chronic health conditions become more common. We need national sports bodies to show leadership, and to work with healthcare professionals and organisations such as Breakthrough T1D and Diabetes UK on training coaches and volunteers and on providing clear, accessible policies.

Youth Services

Sureena Brackenridge Excerpts

Thursday 15th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

Youth services across our country have been decimated, and we all see the consequences unfolding, often tragically, on our streets. Since 2010, funding for youth services has fallen by 73% as a direct result of austerity. This issue is deeply personal to me, as I grew up with a youth club on my doorstep in Ashmore Park, one of around 30 local youth centres that we have lost over the past 15 years. The closure of that safe space left a real hole in the community, one that I was proud to serve years later as a deputy headteacher.

Despite that widespread loss, there are still community efforts that forge ahead, such as the Loft youth club at the Hive in New Invention. That youth club is run by people who care deeply, who know our community and who keep going, often without the security of long-term funding. A shining example city-wide is The Way youth zone. The Way offers more than just activities; it offers friendship and opportunity and makes memories. It is powered by passionate staff who believe in our youth.

I think of my young constituent Kira, who found her safe space, her voice and her confidence through The Way. Through inclusive programmes and nurturing mentors, Kira has grown into an incredible young person who is determined to give back. Her story is one of many, and it is testament to what is possible when we invest properly in our youth.

We must shift from crisis response to prevention, which means a dedicated, long-term funding stream to protect youth services.