The delay in the restoration of government funding for Ireland's short-listed Olympians has had a major impact on prospects for next weekend's eagerly awaited European Short Course Championships in Sheffield. Inadequate preparation for all but one of Ireland's six-strong team leaves members open to ridicule but national coach Ger Doyle will not be among their critics "no matter how disappointing they are."

Only Hamburg-based full-timer Nick O'Hare is prepared to swim among the best of competitors lined up for the glamour event of the year. The irony is that the remainder of the team are been denied the opportunity to achieve their full potential in the short course pool with which they, so obviously, are most familiar.

Further indication of the disarray in which the association finds itself ahead of a European Championship is the fact that Doyle is in the dark about the two Ulster team members. "I've had no information on their results, that is if they have had any competition. Nor have I seen any results from Colin Lowth."

Coach Doyle will be meeting the swimmers as a team for the first time on Thursday, one day before the action gets under way. "Normally you would expect the squad to have built up competition every three to four weeks before such an event as this. If any of the team can produce personal best times I for one will be totally ecstatic for them," he added.

Reiterating the point that he will not be critical of the swimmers Doyle said: "We have to be seen to be behind the competitors; we have to be solidly supportive of them. They have had a tough year. They are all going to go over there with the intention of doing the best they possibly can and we have to be seen to be supportive of that. The swimmers have prepared on their own and their efforts must, as always, be respected."

Good performances are expected from Nick O'Hare, Chantal Gibney and Hugh O'Connor. O'Hare found improvement on the Italian circuit recently.

Doyle has spoken with some of the swimmers on an individual basis regularly over the past few weeks and reaction has been favourable. "The attitude is lets make the best of what we have. We are in the predicament we are in and there is no point mourning about it. So, lets get on with it."

Meanwhile, it is now certain that the name of the Irish association will be changed to Swim Ireland early in the new year probably at the AGM, brought forward to January 24th.