SPARKES PRAISES GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT
British Swimming Chief David Sparked today praised the Government
on its commitment to achieving excellence in sport.
An additional £200m announced by Chancellor Gordon
Brown for high performance sport in the run-up to 2012 will
enable British aquatics team to prepare for the London Games,
in particular the sports of synchronised swimming and water
polo, who until now have not received funding through UK Sport.
"British Swimming welcomes the decision of the chancellor
to provide additional funding to prepare athletes for 2012,"
said Sparkes. "This long term pledge demonstrates the
Government's commitment to elite sport and will allow us to
build on our success from Melbourne 2006, where swimming was
able to demonstrate the programme developed by Bill Sweetenham
is beginning to deliver fresh and exciting talents for London
2012.
"The new money will also allow us to build water polo
and synchronised swimming teams so that Britain can compete
in a full aquatics programme. The silver medal won by Synchro
in Melbourne this week demonstrates we have the talent, now
we have the money to ensure it bears fruit.
"Water polo teams can now build on their success from
the Commonwealth tournament in Perth earlier this year where
young men's and women's teams demonstrated their ability to
compete with the best in the world."
Sparkes was quick to praise the effort from national sporting
bodies that has led to this extra investment in sport.
"A special tribute must be paid to the tremendous hard
work which everyone at UK sport and the BOA have put in to
securing this funding," he said.
"The challenge now is to find the £100m from the
commercial sector, but British Swimming is more than happy
to work with strong commercial partners to share our success
with theirs as we move towards showcasing the best of British
sport in London in 2012."
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