Athletics: Campbell hits out at Lottery 'comfort zone'

Darren Campbell has criticised some of his fellow British athletes for wasting Lottery money. The Manchester-born sprinter is worried athletes will get into a comfort zone.

"Some people see the Lottery as 'now I'm guaranteed x-amount of money'. Some are happy to get £10,000 a year and settle for that," the Olympic silver medallist said. "People shouldn't rely on this money – they should go out and achieve.

"Athletes achieved great things without the Lottery – Linford Christie, Sally Gunnell, Steve Backley and Jonathan Edwards. You see it in the Premiership where players are happy to sit on the bench. I don't want our sport to go like that. Someone needs to say the money isn't so you can buy the best Christmas presents for your family; it's to go out there and help them achieve."

The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has announced £75,000 of sponsorship for the Norwich Union London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on 8 August and said priority must be given to re-developing the stadium.

The sponsorship, which includes £15,000 from the London Development Agency, comes at a time when a 2012 Olympic bid is being discussed and Livingstone said: "There is more at stake than just one night of sport. If the UK wants to attract major sporting events, like the Olympics or the World Cup or the World Athletics Championships, then it's crucial that we continue to attract the world's finest sports people to compete here on a regular basis."