UK Sport slammed over ‘no compromise’ funding

London: UK Sport was accused of breaking promises to build a sporting legacy after it revealed ambitious plans to beat Great Britain’s 2012 medal count in four years’ time at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The body responsible for distributing funds for high-performance sport revealed a record £347 million (Dh2.04 billion) investment in elite athletes over the next four years, but offered no apology for its “no compromise approach” based on financing only genuine medal prospects.

Basketball, handball, wrestling, wheelchair fencing and table tennis missed out on funding completely, while only the women’s teams in beach volleyball, goalball and water polo will continue to receive National Lottery and Government cash.

The “strategic” funding plan is designed to focus more resources on the sports that are more likely to help GB beat their haul of 65 Olympic and 120 Paralympic medals in London, but left many 2012 Olympians and Paralympians feeling “devastated”.

Roger Moreland, performance manager of British Basketball, said: “Having been funded to the tune of £8.5m in the lead-up to the London Olympics because of the sport’s medal potential, this is a devastating decision and is a waste of that investment.

“Over the last five years, the GB teams have done the equivalent of going from League Two in football to the Premier League. They have been competing with the very best countries in the world. It doesn’t seem much of a legacy from 2012 to dash the hopes and aspirations of a sport whose heartland is founded in Britain’s inner cities.”

Liz Nicholl, chief executive of UK Sport, said: “The sports that haven’t been funded are not likely to medal in Rio or the Olympics beyond that. They probably won’t qualify to even be in Rio, so they will not be surprised and they should not be surprised.

“It is hard for them and they are very disappointed. But I think some of these sports have to focus on increasing participation and driving competition at a national level before they can compete for medals at an international level.

“We cut gymnastics funding after Athens and we thought this would never be able to compete with the top six in the world and gymnastics proved us wrong. Hockey is another great example of a sport that had funding cut and has come back to do amazingly well. I would hope these sports would talk to hockey, talk to gymnastics, to find out where they are today.”

Cycling, athletics, rowing, boxing and equestrian sports were given some of the largest increases, although boxing’s governing body has been given 12 months to prove it can unite the home nations before it will be guaranteed its full £13.8m over four years.

Swimming, which managed just three medals instead of its target of up to seven medals at London 2012, is also on a year’s probation.

The sport must impress UK Sport with its plans for the future once it has appointed a new performance director and head coach after Australian Michael Scott’s resignation. The overall 15 per cent reduction in funding over the next four years, however, was not as bad as some had feared.

David Sparkes, chief executive of British Swimming, said: “While disappointed with the award for swimming, we recognise we need to rebuild confidence that we can deliver medals at Olympic level consistently.” Nicholl insisted the sports who suffered funding cuts were not being “punished” for failing in London and said UK Sport’s plan was designed to help British sport build on its performance in the capital, which saw the hosts finish third in the Olympics and Paralympics medals tables.

The nation’s athletes will receive an 11 per cent increase in financial support in the run-up to Rio. Fewer sports — 42 as opposed to 45 — will be funded this time around, while there will be more money dedicated to Paralympic sport, which will receive 20 per cent of the pot, from 16 per cent.

Nicholl said: “We want to be the first nation in recent history to be more successful at the Olympics and Paralympics, post-hosting. No nation has ever done it at the Olympics. More successful will be at least 66 medals in the Olympics and 121 medals at the Paralympics. It’s an incredible challenge.”

Volleyball flame has been put out

Three days after Martine Wright won the Helen Rollason Award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony, the funding for the 7/7 survivor’s sitting volleyball squad was cut by UK Sport.

Volleyball was a major casualty of the funding announcement, with no money for the sitting or indoor versions. Wright, who lost both her legs in the London bombings in 2005, competed at the 2012 Paralympics. Lisa Wainwright, chief executive of Volleyball England, said: “When we speak of legacy remember this day — the flame has well and truly been extinguished.”

UK Sport is providing £347 million of funding in the run-up to Rio 2016, an 11 per cent increase on London 2012. In total, 18 sports have had their funding increased but basketball, handball, table tennis and wrestling will no longer get anything.

Water polo up 53.6 per cent

Boxing up 44.5 per cent

Taekwondo up 42.75 per cent

Gymnastics up 34.6 per cent

Equestrian up 33.6 per cent

Volleyball down 88.7 per cent

Badminton down 20.6 er cent

Archery down 19.7 per cent

Swimming down 14.9per cent

Judo down 9.3per cent

Rowing £32.6m

Cycling £30.6m

Athletics £26.8m

Sailing £24.5m

Swimming £21.4m

Basketball £8.6m to £0

Handball £2.93m to £0

Table Tennis £1.21m to £0

Wrestling £1.44m to £0