Money for Sport - Just not ours........

Kevin Perkins · Jan 26, 2010

UK Sport (who they?) have just announced that they (that probably means me and you) have invested (interesting turn of phrase) £6.5 million pounds in our Winter Olympic Team. That is spread across just seven sports (less than a million each then, poor souls)

Their goal is for 3 medals this year (that would be the best result for over 70 years.....)

And they seem to feel our best chance is the Women's Bobsleigh. I'm not quite sure if you've noticed a municipal bobsleigh run close to where you live, but I suspect they're aren't too many in the UK.

That means that the poor girls will have had to have travelled abroad to do most of their training then, (might not be too hard to guess where the bulk of the 'investment went...), particularly as one of our other 'best medal chances' is in Synchronised Housework, sorry Curling, and I can't see a dozen yard brooms costing too much.

Still, it's the taking part that matters, isn't it..........

Paul H · Jan 26, 2010

I am always pleased when I see my tax pounds spent wisely.

Which might explain my essentially grumpy outlook.

Peter Jacobs · Jan 26, 2010

Kevin Perkins said:
Their goal is for 3 medals this year (that would be the best result for over 70 years.....)

Well, lets not forget dear old Eddie (the Eagle) Edwards who had to pay his own way to and from Calgary, and all of his training visits as well.

Let's not forget either that after those Games the various committees tightened-up the entry rules to ensure that no one follwed the 'Eagle' in future. They even named the Rule after him!

So, I guess "we" have to "invest" in these sports, if for nothing else than to avoid "soaring like a plummet" at the next games?

Kevin Perkins · Jan 26, 2010

But I bet the participants don't have to pay 'Broom' licences, or 'Ski' licences or 'Sled' licences.........

Peter Jacobs · Jan 26, 2010

Kevin Perkins said:
But I bet the participants don't have to pay 'Broom' licences, or 'Ski' licences or 'Sled' licences.........

Well, I don't know about the other 2 sports, but to ski in an FIS Event or Competion you have to be a member of the relevant National Association and hold an FIS License. The cost was about US$ 80.00 I think.

Philip · Jan 26, 2010

I sort of see were your coming from Kevin. Be interesting to see what the total cost of training and preparation is and how much of that the competitors have invested or raised themselves in addition to the grant/aid.

I would have more sympathy if they have raised the majority of the cost needed and the grant was to give them an essential boost without which it would be impossible.

Btw ...Isnt fishing an Olympic event ? ...is there a team England going and how much do they get ? ...anyone ?

Kevin Perkins · Jan 26, 2010

Peter

You know I was being a little bit flippant with regard to licences......

But 'our' last Winter Olympics team didn't bring back a single medal, and based on that glorious result, we (and I used that term in it's loosest sense) we pump £6.5m into having another go at sports we are basically cr*p at and most of which aren't even staged in this country, and are played by a absolute piddling minority.

I can think of plenty of home grown sports that could do with that kind of cash, the 10 or so junior football clubs that have to come cap in hand every year to our council for kit funding on a like for like basis spring to mind. And that money comes out of yours and mine Council Tax precept because they can't get funding from anywhere else.

But then again, supporting South Bogford Under 11's doesn't have the same cachet as promoting possible (but let's face it highly unlikely) medal winners at the Winter Olympics does it.

Hundreds of kids running round in muddy fields against a few handpicked individuals in Turin, no contest really

Jeff Woodhouse · Jan 26, 2010

Kevin Perkins said:
sorry Curling, and I can't see a dozen yard brooms costing too much.

Depends if they are top quality carbon handled brooms or just your standard Asda Aluminium ones.

We have a ski slope in Wycombe they could have practiced on, but unfortunately it burnt down (crazy eh?) some 6 years ago and never reopened due to - lack of interest.

I get where you're coming from entirely, Kevin, having had to support sport groups through Council funding myself. You wait 'til the 2012 lot starts, then see the millions pouring out.

Peter Jacobs · Jan 26, 2010

Kevin Perkins said:
Peter

You know I was being a little bit flippant with regard to licences......

But 'our' last Winter Olympics team didn't bring back a single medal, and based on that glorious result, we (and I used that term in it's loosest sense) we pump £6.5m into having another go at sports we are basically cr*p at and most of which aren't even staged in this country, and are played by a absolute piddling minority.

I can think of plenty of home grown sports that could do with that kind of cash, the 10 or so junior football clubs that have to come cap in hand every year to our council for kit funding on a like for like basis spring to mind. And that money comes out of yours and mine Council Tax precept because they can't get funding from anywhere else.

But then again, supporting South Bogford Under 11's doesn't have the same cachet as promoting possible (but let's face it highly unlikely) medal winners at the Winter Olympics does it.

Hundreds of kids running round in muddy fields against a few handpicked individuals in Turin, no contest really

I totally agree with you Kevin, the only reason I knew about the FIS Licenses was that my eldest Son was heavily into his skiing some years ago. Thankfully, he 'discovered' the fairer sex resulting in a lot less pressure on my wallet.

Personally, I'd rather see that sort of money being handed out to junior sports too. I always wonder about Medals at the Winter Olympics for the GB Team and at what cost each one might be.

Wobbly Face (As Per Ed) · Jan 26, 2010

Did Eddie (the not so Eagle) Edwards break the British record?
Have we not won medals in Bobsleigh events? The good old British Army, trained bobsleigh teams but inefficient equiptment for Iraq and Afganistan. Its nice to know our hard earned taxes are channelled into the right places.

Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC) · Jan 26, 2010

Kevin Perkins said:
But 'our' last Winter Olympics team didn't bring back a single medal,

Ooops...you rather forgot the shapely Shelley Rudman,with the spray on latex suit, winning silver in the Skeleton bob.

I remember watching.....I always thought that's where the idea of Tickling your Tackle originated! :wh

http://www.kmibrands.com/corporate/pages/ShelleyRudman/Shelley_Rudman.htm

Trev 2 · Jan 26, 2010

I noticed from the link one of her sponsors is the "King of Shaves", could be very useful for getting into the lycra suit ???

Money for Sport - Just not ours........

Kevin Perkins

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Paul H

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Peter Jacobs

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Kevin Perkins

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Peter Jacobs

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Philip

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Kevin Perkins

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Jeff Woodhouse

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Peter Jacobs

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Wobbly Face (As Per Ed)

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Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)

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Trev 2

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