BRISBANE, Queensland, Aug. 21 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement:

JOINT STATEMENT

Minister for Education and the Arts

The Honourable John-Paul Langbroek

Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games

The Honourable Tim Mander

* The National Football League is distributing Flag Football kits to every Queensland school. * Flag football is the non-contact format of American Football and one of the fastest-growing sports globally. * The sport is eligible under theCrisafulli Government's Play On! Sports Vouchers. * TheCrisafulli Government is strengthening Queensland's reputation as the events capital and home of sport in Australia after a decade of decline under Labor.

The Crisafulli Government is backing more opportunities for Queensland kids to get active and try and new sports, with every Queensland school set receive a free Flag Football kit.

The kits, donated and distributed by the National Football League, contain 12 flag belts, three footballs, and NFL Flag curriculum and resources to support teachers introducing the game into their school.

Flag Football is a short, fast, non-contact, version of American Football where players stop the ball carrier by pulling a flag from their belt instead of tackling them.

The sport is played by more than 20 million people in over 100 countries and is listed as an eligible activity for the Queensland Government's Play On! Sports Vouchers program.

The Crisafulli Government is strengthening Queensland's reputation the home of sport in Australia after a decade of decline under Labor.

Flag Football is one of only six news sports to be included as a medal event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the sport played by more than 20 million people in over 100 countries.

Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander welcomed the school kit donations by the NFL.

"This is a wonderful initiative by the NFL and will encourage more young Queenslanders to get out and be active," Minister Mander said.

"It's great that our kids will now become more and more familiar with Flag Football before it makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in two years' time.

"Having accessibility to these kits may well inspire them to dream of one day wearing the green and gold of Australia, or maybe the green and gold of the Green Bay Packers."

Minister for Education and the Arts John-Paul Langbroek thanked the NFL for introducing a new sport to Queensland schools.

"Sport plays an important role in supporting student wellbeing, engagement and development," Minister Langbroek said.

"The NFL's provision of these kits gives Queensland schools another opportunity to get students active and introduce them to a new sport.

"It is fantastic to see schools a number of Queensland State schools such as Burleigh Heads State School, Varsity College and Benowa State High School already embracing flag football and achieving success at State, national and international levels."

Member for Burleigh Hermann Vorster said this was a great announcement for kids on the Gold Coast.

"I have seen the positive impact Flag Football in the Burleigh community and know many young locals see it as a real pathway to a sporting career," Mr Vorster said.

"It is great to see the sport invest in our community by giving more students the opportunity to try something new and it may be just the experience that unlocks an opportunity or builds a better life by teaching the value of teamwork and fair play."

General Manager NFL Australia & New Zealand Charlotte Offord said she was thrilled to see the first kits arrive in Queensland today.

"Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and Australia is helping to lead the movement - especially across Queensland. These kits will provide more young people with pathways to learn the game, so today is an exciting day for us," Ms Offord said.

"We want to ensure that every school and student gets the same opportunity to play, so being able to offer free flag football kits is a great way to ensure there are no barriers of entry into the sport".

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Meg Sydes, 0448 114 869

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.