More sport for kids demanded by parents

Campaigners demanding more physical education for children are calling for parents to sign a petition supporting the idea.

As of Monday the group said that they had managed to get more than 30,000 signatures for their demand that kids have to get an hour a day in sport at school.

Innsbruck University Sport Science Expert Elmar Kornexl said it was shocking how little many children exerted themselves in their daily lives.

He said: “The school is the perfect place to correct this because you can catch all the children.

“At home many flats are small, and there is hardly any of the courtyards that there used to be where they can play. The streets are dangerous, and there needs to be an awareness that in this situation there is little opportunity for children to play.”

He said that this was especially important in the first year at school where the child were developing new interests.

He added: “This is the basis on which a future interest in sport is built.”