Olympic Sports Receive Funding Allocations for London 2012

Rowing will receive the most financing from U.K. Sport during the 2009-2013 cycle. (Mustafa Ozer/AFP/Getty Images)(ATR) Rowing becomes Britain's best financed Olympic sport, but U.K. Athletics budget is cut in U.K. Sport's funding allocation for the 2012 Olympics announced today.

A total of 17 sports have been awarded increases in their budgets in the run-up to Games, but eight other sports face reductions and uncertain futures.

With funding of $40.6 million, rowing replaces athletics as the best-funded of the 26 sports on the Olympic program for London. Funding for athletics – which could yield only four medals at the Beijing Games – is slashed 5.3 percent for the 2009-2013 funding cycle.

Cycling, sailing and swimming's successes in Beijing explain increases in their handouts. But the big winners were basketball, synchronized swimming, taekwondo, boxing, archery and hockey; basketball's budget rises 137 percent on Beijing, rocketing from $5.5 million to $12.8 million.

U.K. Sport made no apologies Wednesday for leaving the eight sports out in the cold, saying the decision to only grant $18.5 million of high performance funding between beach volleyball, fencing, handball, shooting, table tennis, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting and wrestling was based on its "no compromise investment strategy."

Cuts are also coming for four Paralympic sports – fencing, goalball, volleyball and wheelchair basketball (women) – although 14 Paralympic sports have been allocated full funding for London 2012.

Those sports that have lost out in the funding allocations have been told the elite sport funding body will work with them in the coming weeks to try to identify further funding, both from private investment and other potential sources of income.

U.K. Sport was forced to make cutbacks because of the $74 million shortfall in their original 2012 budget. That figure was a third higher yesterday until the government pledged an additional $43 million of public funds to close the funding gap. But it meant savings still had to be found at the agency's board meeting Tuesday.

"The decisions made by our board were not easy, but they were right," said Sue Campbell, chair of U.K. Sport. "With a shortfall in the overall funding available we had to make some tough calls, but we did so in the knowledge that our ‘no compromise' strategy is not only known and understood by sport but was also the basis of our success in Beijing." Sue Campbell, chair of U.K. Sport, described the funding decisions announced today as being difficult but right. (Getty Images)

The British Olympic Association (BOA) expressed disappointment following U.K. Sport's funding announcement, criticizing the government for failing to deliver on its pledge to support athletes in the lead-up to 2012.

"It is disappointing that, despite extensive lobbying, we find ourselves in the position now, just three months after the most successful Olympic Games for Great Britain in 100 years, where the government has failed to honor their funding promise to all our Olympic sports," said BOA chief executive Andrew Hunt.

"For those sports that have learnt today that they face an uncertain financial future, two years of planning and investment has been thrown up in the air," he added.

"Whilst those sports may have fallen short of the medal rostrum in 2012, the promised government investment would have given them the opportunity to develop their athletes' talents and their resources as a whole.

"A wider base of participation is crucial to the long term delivery of medal success and the BOA is deeply concerned that the opportunity to find the Chris Hoy of table tennis or the Rebecca Adlington of volleyball in future Olympic Games has been put in jeopardy."

Despite the setback for some sports, Hunt said the BOA would work with U.K. Sport to raise funds and help them achieve their objectives in preparations for 2012.

The Olympic sports on the receiving end of funding cuts also expressed dismay at the funding allocations.

"I'm frustrated, not just from my point of view, but from the perspective of the players and coaches," said Alex Murdoch, chairman of the British Table Tennis Federation. "We have a lot of people involved planning their future. We thought we would know one way or the other. I can't fathom it. The total budget was £550 million and they can't find a few million to dollop out to various sports," he was quoted by the BBC.

In contrast, hockey's leaders were delighted with the 25 percent increase for their sport for the 2009-2013 period. Richard Leman, president of Great Britain Hockey, was pleased with the amount of funds his sport was allocated. (Getty Images)

"This is fantastic news for hockey. I am delighted the progress that we have made over the last few years has been recognized by U.K. Sport and that they have backed us with sufficient funding to deliver the necessary athlete support, run the right number of training camps and be able to participate in all the relevant tournaments in the next few years," said Richard Leman, president of Great Britain Hockey and a gold medalist from the 1988 Olympics.

"We are aiming high for London 2012 and this will give us the tools to give our committed elite players the best opportunity for success."

With reporting from Mark Bisson.

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