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Olympic funding

Funding for athletics has been cut in the run-up to London 2012 and eight other sports face uncertainty. UK Sport announced the detailed funding for the next four years and 17 Olympic sports including cycling, sailing, swimming and rowing - all successful in Beijing - have been given increases. Public interest in the 2012 Games will focus most intently on the track and field events, but athletics' budget will drop from £26.5million before to Beijing to £25.1million over the next four years. The sport failed to meet its target of five medals in Beijing, and medal prospects for London are similarly limited. By contrast, the biggest investment in any single sport will be in rowing - £27.4million or a 5.5 per cent increase. Cycling, the most successful sport in Beijing with 14 medals, receives £26.9million, a 21.5 per cent increase. UK Sport chief executive John Steele said the funding meant the British team would still target a top-four place in the medals table in London, and second in the Paralympics. Mr Steele said: "The target is for top four with more medals won across more sports. They are ambitious targets but we now have the resources to achieve them." The funding body's head of performance Peter Keen said athletics would now concentrate on a fewer number of athletes - 30 rather than 40 - in the expectation of achieving six medals in London compared to four in Beijing. Badminton also has a slight cut in its spending while eight Olympic sports also face cuts but have yet to receive a confirmed figure. They are: fencing, handball, shooting, table tennis, volleyball/beach volleyball, water polo, weightlifting and wrestling. The total funding for the next four years will be £246.8million split among 19 sports and £45.6million going to Paralympic sports - £15.7million more than before the Beijing Paralympics. British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Hunt said: "It is disappointing that just three months after the most successful Olympic Games for Great Britain in 100 years, the Government have failed to honour their funding promise."

ITN | December 3, 2008Watch more videos from ITN

Tags:. .paralympics. .runup. .badminton. .ambitious. .uncertainty











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