Van Commenee promises no sentiment in funding

UK Athletics' new head coach Charles van Commenee today insisted there would be "no room for sentiment" in funding for Britain's athletes.

Britain won four medals on the track in this summer's Olympics in Beijing, one below their target and a poor return compared to the country's cyclists and sailors.

That led to the departure of performance director Dave Collins and the appointment of Dutchman Van Commenee, a former coach of heptathletes Denise Lewis and Kelly Sotherton.

And Van Commenee today unveiled the new performance criteria designed to ensure that National Lottery support is targeted at a smaller number of athletes capable of medal success at London 2012.

The number of athletes receiving individual lottery assistance next year will fall by 20% as athletes prepare for the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, and is expected to fall further as the World Class programme gears towards maximising investment into genuine London 2012 prospects.

Van Commenee said: "We have taken a measured and impartial look at our athletes. For 2009 we are focusing podium-level investment on those we believe will be successful in next summer's World Championships.

"Thereafter, the focus will be squarely on investing in the support of athletes I believe have what it takes to deliver the goods in London 2012.

"There can be no room for sentiment in elite athlete funding. I will use the system to ensure athletes are motivated to perform when it matters the most.

"We have a big year ahead of us, it is a World Championship year and we will see what athletes are worthy of investment leading onwards to London 2012 and beyond."

Among those athletes who have lost their funding are Andy Turner, who failed to get beyond the second round of the 110 metres hurdles in Beijing, Becky Lyne and Rhys Williams.

Lyne won bronze in the 800m at the European Championships in 2006 but has struggled to reproduce that form since. Williams also won bronze in the 400m hurdles alongside Lyne but missed the entire 2007 season and Beijing through injury.

Athletes will now be supported on the basis of their ability to achieve success in Berlin and/or the talent and commitment to the World Class Performance Programme that suggests the ability to achieve success at London 2012.

Of the 33 Podium athletes, six will be funded at A category (a maximum of £25,383 per annum), 13 at B category (£19,000) and 14 at C category (£12,600).

PODIUM: Larry Achike, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Emma Ania, Andy Baddeley, Tim Benjamin, Martyn Bernard, Michael Bingham, Sarah Claxton, Tasha Danvers, Marlon Devonish, Lisa Dobriskey, Montell Douglas, Nathan Douglas, Tyrone Edgar, Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Rikki Fifton, Emily Freeman, Phillips Idowu, Jade Johnson, Jeanette Kwakye, Mark Lewis-Francis, Christian Malcolm, Germaine Mason, Lee McConnell, Marilyn Okoro, Christine Ohuruogu, Tom Parsons, Jo Pavey, Craig Pickering, Paula Radcliffe, Michael Rimmer, Martyn Rooney, Greg Rutherford, Nicola Sanders, Goldie Sayers, Kelly Sotherton, Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, Chris Tomlinson, Laura Turner, Simeon Williamson, Mara Yamauchi.