ELITE SPORTS - ELITE FUNDING...

“We're funding elite sports for elites.”

-      MP Alex Sobel, Labour MP calling for new funding model for British Sport

As the 23RD Olympiad in PyeongChang closed, with post games plaudits afforded to the host nation and peace accord potential resting on a now geopolitical nuclear consideration, the Olympic movement has again provided a global platform by which much will have been gleaned in the global community and the unifying power of sport.

The medal table also reflected the investment made by respective first world countries in their winter sport activity, the 105 medals competed for over the last 17 days has seen Britain celebrated with the largest medal haul in Winter Games history.

Firstly, can I state that major games, in their ability to inspire a watching nation following the exploits of our sporting elite can indeed provide a participation gold rush. However, in this event, where do the inspired hearts and minds go to realise their Winter Olympic aspirations?

Many questions are being asked as to the merit, benefit or wisdom of a ￡28 million investment and the return seen only in the winning as opposed to the taking part - ￡5.67m per medal.

In all things equitable, diverse and inclusive, the social, cultural and economic return on this investment must be brought into question. With many stating that we are going in the right direction, but what does the end destination look like? If the targets are medals and the participation base is not improved, how can we produce a greater or stronger medal haul than our Norwegian counter parts who topped the medal table.

The simple fact of the matter is our climatic environment and culture does not lend itself to Olympic and Paralympic winter sports and if all things being equal are to be policy intelligent and strategically considered, then there is no better example than Team GB’s Bobsleigh Programme - a ￡5 million investment to a programme that suffered accusations of sexism, bullying and racism still aspired to a strong return on a four-year programme.

Despite this fact, the squad was ill prepared. Blades not adequate for the job in hand and as a result, seeking blades from fellow competitors that even within the Olympic spirit will have struggled to support one of the most well-funded Bobsleigh teams in the world.  Add to that, the two women Bobsleigh team who were simply told that they were not good enough went and crowd funded from the British Public and placed higher than any of their male team counterparts.

This example clearly continues to highlight the fact that the funding system for sport in this country is not fit for purpose.

With one of our most decorated Olympians and UK Sport Chair, Dame Katherine Grainger and MP Alex Sobel calling for a review of the funding of British Sport, and with sports such as Basketball still on the wrong side of the founder of the Olympic movement, Monsieur de Coubertin’s Olympic ideal that it is not in the winning, but in the taking part. There clearly now needs to be a ‘whole sport plan’ with Sport England and UK Sport working together and as a result seeing Sport4All and a LegacyOpportunity4All that is participation, social, grass root, development, performance and excellence.