'Too much' focus on winning medals says UK Athletics boss

[Banquo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/39453640

What do you think? Sounds a bit like the noises off around Cycling too- interestingly Jo Rowsell has just retired, and has praised British Cycling and its' culture- personally I think winning is quite important in sport!

[Stones of granite]

The story is about funding. What he's really moaning about is the pressure to win medals or lose funding from UK Sport.

I can't help but agree with the premise that an element of funding has to go to broaden participation as well as funding elite programmes, but I think the structure of sport's governing bodies would have to change first or it would just result in a de-focus on elite programmes.

[Banquo]

The story is about funding. What he's really moaning about is the pressure to win medals or lose funding from UK Sport.

I can't help but agree with the premise that an element of funding has to go to broaden participation as well as funding elite programmes, but I think the structure of sport's governing bodies would have to change first or it would just result in a de-focus on elite programmes.

The story is a mixed bag of stuff I think, perhaps representing some confusion (inc me!). My angle was probably too tangential, namely about culture and winning.

[Stones of granite]

The story is about funding. What he's really moaning about is the pressure to win medals or lose funding from UK Sport.

I can't help but agree with the premise that an element of funding has to go to broaden participation as well as funding elite programmes, but I think the structure of sport's governing bodies would have to change first or it would just result in a de-focus on elite programmes.

The story is a mixed bag of stuff I think, perhaps representing some confusion (inc me!). My angle was probably too tangential, namely about culture and winning.

I get what you're saying. What I meant was that the UK Athletics guy is basically campaigning on funding. He probably sees this kind of article as a shot in the funding war. Whether it was his intention to send a mixed message or whether BBC sports journalists are a confused bunch, I couldn't say.

[Banquo]

The story is about funding. What he's really moaning about is the pressure to win medals or lose funding from UK Sport.

I can't help but agree with the premise that an element of funding has to go to broaden participation as well as funding elite programmes, but I think the structure of sport's governing bodies would have to change first or it would just result in a de-focus on elite programmes.

The story is a mixed bag of stuff I think, perhaps representing some confusion (inc me!). My angle was probably too tangential, namely about culture and winning.

I get what you're saying. What I meant was that the UK Athletics guy is basically campaigning on funding. He probably sees this kind of article as a shot in the funding war. Whether it was his intention to send a mixed message or whether BBC sports journalists are a confused bunch, I couldn't say.

yep, its a whinge