The nation’s lead elite sport agency has developed a ‘no compromise’ approach to underpin its funding decisions.
Fourteen Olympic sports will receive an enhanced funding settlement between 2005 and 2009, with the £75million investment representing an increase of £5million over the Sydney to Athens cycle.
However, the total number of British athletes receiving financial support will be cut from 480 to 320.
The new approach is more targeted to ensure that athletes with the potential to succeed in Beijing are offered a full programme of support via their governing body – estimated to be worth an average of £45,000 an athlete per annum on top of their Athlete Personal Award.
Liz Nicholl, the organisation’s acting chief executive, said: “Our new Investment strategy is designed to reinforce the best performing sports, support those that are developing and provoke positive change in those that are under-performing.
“The budget is bigger and it needs to be for Beijing, but we must guard against the temptation to spread it too thinly, which presented us with some tough decisions. We must also remember that our ability to invest at this level depends on the British public’s continued willingness to support our sportsmen and women by buying Lottery tickets.”
Athletics will receive £7.2million, down from £8.3million, while gymnastics' budget has been cut by £1.8million. Judo was another sport to return from Athens without any medals and will have funding cut from £2.9million to £1.7million.
