Six Olympic and Paralympic sports today discovered if they had won a funding reprieve for Rio 2016, following a UK Sport board meeting earlier this week.
In December, UK Sport revealed a record £347m of investment over the next Olympic Games cycle, with significant funding increases being awarded to high achievers at the London 2012 Games.
The following national governing bodies attended to make informal representations:
- British Basketball
- British Disabled Fencing Association
- British Table Tennis Federation
- British Volleyball Federation (on behalf of beach, indoor and sitting volleyball disciplines)
- British Weight Lifting (on behalf of weightlifting and powerlifting disciplines)
- British Wrestling
The UK Sport Board decided to award funding to basketball and wheelchair fencing, and to revisit with beach volleyball the costs of operating a small squad programme for two athletes.
It was decided that there will be no change to the awards given to the remaining sports.
Tim Lamb, chief executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, said:
“Whilst it will be a disappointment for certain sports not to be awarded the funding that they need to take their plans forward, what is important now is that those sports take stock and look at how they can emulate some of their peers.
“Gymnastics, one of the success stories of London 2012, had its funding reduced by nearly £2 million between the Sydney and Athens Olympics – but came back leaner, stronger and ultimately more successful in elite competition.
“Hockey has also had its funding cut in the recent past but it too came back fighting fit and enjoyed a successful London Games.
“I hope the sports that have missed out today will talk to sports like gymnastics and hockey to find out how they have got back to where they are today and that in four years’ time we will once again see those sports achieve the success they wish for.”
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