Athletics again main beneficiary

Over £1 million is to be handed out this week to Ireland's elite athletes under the annual sporting grants scheme. The details were announced yesterday by the Minister for Sport, Dr Jim McDaid, and includes allocations to 207 athletes representing 25 different sports for a total of £1,009,000.

The elite funding is administered by the Irish Sports Council and athletics is once again the main sport to benefit, with BLE athletes set to receive a total of £278,000, a slight increase on last year. Susan SmithWalsh and Nicky Sweeney are joint highest with £18,000 each while Mark Carroll (£15,000), James Nolan (£12,000) and James McIlroy (£12,000) also receive world class levels. Last year, however, there were 15 athletes at world class level; that number has now dropped to six.

Sonia O'Sullivan received only half the maximum amount of £24,000 as she has estimated annual earnings of over £50,000. Catherina McKiernan is the most notable absentee from the list but that is because, like last year, she did not submit any grant application to BLE. Athletes disappointed not to benefit include national 10km walk champion Pierce O'Callaghan and 10,000 metres champion Noel Berkeley.

The only person to receive the maximum grant of £24,000 was canoeist Ian Wiley while national welterweight boxing champion Neil Gough is rewarded for his consistency with £18,000.

Once again the elite swimmers have been left out in the cold because of the restructuring within the new organisation, Swim Ireland, which followed the Murphy Report. The Minister has recently expressed satisfaction with the progress within the organisation and their funding is expected to be restored shortly.

In addition to the direct financial support, each athlete will also qualify for the International Carding Scheme.