A Mexican MP has tabled an initiative to change current law relating to the management of publicly owned sport and leisure facilities.

The proposals, by Mariela Contreras, a MP for the opposition party Partido de la Revolución Democrática would see local councils reclaiming control of all publicly owned facilities currently operated by private companies.

Contreras claimed that private companies operating public sports facilities are in breach of article 19 of the Law on the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity and Eating Disorders that came into force in May 2010.

The article states that public leisure centers should offer free access to sporting and cultural activities as well as ways of preventing and treating obesity.

Contreras, who is also the president of la Comisión de Salud en la Asamblea Legislativa (The Federal Ministry of Health) accused private operators of using public assets for their own financial gain. She added that her proposal would make sport and active leisure more affordable.

"We urgently need to make more sports facilities free to the public if we want to tackle obesity," she said.

According to official figures, the number of people taking part in regular sport has fallen from 42 per cent in 2004 to 39 per cent in 2009.