Goalball UK have received the stamp of approval from Sport England with confirmation that the governing body for goalball is compliant with the Code for Sports Governance.

After a great deal of work to provide updates and evidence of a strict Governance Action Plan, the board are delighted to announce that Goalball UK is officially up to code and meets the requirements needed to seek public funding.

Encompassing five principles of good governance (structure, people, communication, standards and conduct, and policies and processes), the code was designed to ensure the very highest standards of practices within national governing bodies and sporting organisations in what is a challenging and changing environment for sports funding.

John Coles, Chairman of Goalball UK said: “We are constantly working to improve on what we consider to be an excellent approach to governance within the sport.

“So naturally we are extremely pleased that this dedication has been officially recognised.

“We’ve received a great deal of support from Sport England in recent years and recognise the need to protect the value for money the public receives from investment into sport and maximise the effectiveness of those investments.

“With some incredible athletes coming up through our talent pathway, and our GB Teams achieving success in international tournaments, consistent funding at grassroots and within our talent pathway is more important than ever.

“This accreditation means were are well-equipped for the future, and to aim for more resources to support the growth of the sport.”

Confirmation of compliance comes just a few weeks on from the appointment of Peter Elliott, former Olympic middle-distance runner, to the Board of Goalball UK where his focus will be on developing talent and elite performance as well as issues around athlete welfare.

Steve Ferres, formally of the Bradford Bulls, has also been appointed as business development manager to identify partnerships and opportunities for income generation as well as developing existing revenue sources.

Since the London games in 2012, participation in goalball has grown 425%, bucking the overall trend in Paralympic and able-bodied sport, with the number of clubs nationwide doubling. At elite level, the women’s GB team have secured their position in the IBSA Europe A League, potentially placing them on track for Tokyo 2020.