Role of UK Sport in Developing Elite Sport

Question 1

Main Role of UK Sport

Answer 1

Invest National Lottery funds and government income into athletes

Question 2

How is success measured?

Answer 2

• By medals won
• Gov don’t care how well athlete performed, just about medals –> get dropped and UK sport held accountable for misallocating funding

Question 3

UK Sport invests around 70% of it’s income in 2 ways:

Answer 3

• Funding for NGBs (allow the world class programmes to run)
• Funding for athletes directly (Athlete performance award)

Question 4

Athletes Performance Award (APA)

Answer 4

• Provides financial support towards athletes living costs via national Lottery fund
• £36,000-60,000 per athlete per year at podium level
• £23,000-40,000 at podium potential

Question 5

APA Case Study

Answer 5

• Lizzie Yarnold
• Skeleton
• 10 years ago –> relatively unknown sport with little GB success
• Now –> well-known and recent GB success

Question 6

Reason for change in Skeleton

Answer 6

• Allowed as a non-winter sport nation to be successful in winter games
• £2.1 million Lottery funding between 2006-2010
• Funding allowed athletes to commit and train full time
• UK Sport invested in Skeleton Talent ID programmes

Question 7

What else do UK Sport do to develop athletes

Answer 7

• Develop top-class coaches
• Run talent ID programmes
• Develop facilities (e.g. altitude/warm-weather conditions)