Hunt (pictured above, front row, fourth left) is still facing calls to resign from his high profile role after it was alleged in the Leveson Inquiry last month that his Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) office were colluding with Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation to ensure that they were successful in their bid for BSkyB.

But despite the continued allegations, Hunt appeared at the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 School Games finals at ExCeL in London after he played a major role in helping set up the inaugural edition of the event, which takes place across Britain at four regional levels with the most talented athletes ultimately progressing to the finals of the event.

Hunt was unable to attend the historic final day on the Olympic Park, where the competition, run by the Youth Sport Trust, took place at the Olympic Stadium, the Aquatics Centre and the Velodrome, as he was attending the Queen's Speech in Westminster but he sent a message of congratulations to all the young athletes at the Closing Ceremony at the Basketball Arena.

Campbell (pictured above, front row, fifth left), who was appointed to the House of Lords to serve as a Crossbench Peer in 2008, has worked closely with Hunt in the formation of the new event and admitted that it would not have come to fruition, especially on the Olympic Park, without the help of the Culture Secretary.


"I think I can say in absolute honestly that without Jeremy, we wouldn't be here," Campbell told insidethegames.

"I think his support and commitment to school sport has been fantastic and I think his support to the Youth Sport Trust, and all that we believe in, has been immense.

"I also think that his willingness to put his political shoulder to the wheel has allowed school sport to keep some real momentum in what are very difficult times.

"Quite simply, this Sainsbury's School Games wouldn't be here without him."

The support of Campbell, one of the most powerful sports administrators in Britain, will be a huge boost to Hunt as he fights to hold onto his job, particularly given that his Coalition Government were heavily criticised for their policy to school sport when they came to power.

In the October 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review, Education Secretary Michael Gove announced that the entire annual £162 million ($260 million/€190 million) funding for the School Sports Partnerships would be axed before a huge wave of protests forced a partial backtrack to £65 million ($101 million/€76 million) funding per year.


But it was Gove who was predominantly criticised for the move while Hunt has been praised for attempting to fight the corner of school sport.

Campbell, who was instrumental in setting up the Youth Sport Trust in 1994, said that she now hopes that the Cultural Secretary is able to stay in the role to help the School Games continue to grow beyond this year.

"He came to the Opening Ceremony so he has seen the conclusion of the first phase on the event," she said.

"But I know he passionately believes that this should be a long term legacy programme and that he passionately believes this should be an inclusive programme for young people with a disability.

"I think it would be great for him to have the opportunity to see that over a longer period of time."

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