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School sport is 'uncool'
 The government wants pupils to play more sport |
Sport at school is considered "uncool", according to a survey.
Girls in particular are put off doing physical exercise because of fears about their self-image, teachers and pupils told researchers.
Physical education teachers reported that swimming lessons could be a "real struggle", because girls hated ruining their hairdos.
And girls and boys said regulation PE kits played a major role in putting them off sport.
Sports co-ordinators
The survey was carried out among teachers and pupils for Adidas UK. It was commissioned after previous surveys highlighted growing trends towards "couch potato" behaviour in young people.
Teachers said they would like to see relaxed sports kit codes, single sex PE classes, and a wider range of activities on offer in schools to encourage more pupils to play sport.
Sports Minister Kate Hoey said the government was taking steps to address the probem.
"We are backing plans to create 600 new school sports co-ordinators across the country with the job of increasing the range of opportunities that children have to play sport after school," she said.
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