Olympic and Paralympic sports outside the World Class
Programme will be able to bid for additional investment to
help more talented athletes compete at Tokyo 2020, Sports
Minister announced today.
The £3 million Aspiration Fund will allow sports who do not
currently receive full UK Sport funding to develop plans to
help teams and athletes qualify.
Sports eligible to apply for the fund include all the
unfunded summer Olympic and Paralympic sports, the new
sports for the Tokyo Games and those currently in receipt
of individual athlete medal support plan funding from UK
Sport.
Alongside their qualification plan, sports seeking funding
will be asked to submit details of how they will capitalise
on the impact of competing at the Games and engage and
inspire communities.
The plans will also need to align with the outcomes set out
in the Government’s Sporting Future strategy to redefine
what success looks like in sport: physical well-being,
mental well-being, individual development, social and
community development and economic development.
, Minister for Sport and
Civil Society, said:
“The Aspiration Fund will give more sports the chance to
inspire the nation and shine at Tokyo 2020 and beyond. This
£3 million bridges a gap between grassroots and elite
funding, and will help sports grow and develop future
champions.”
“UK Sport investment has transformed Britain into an
Olympic and Paralympic powerhouse. But there are sports,
not on UK Sport’s world class programme, that do a huge
amount of good in communities that we can help on their
path to the podium.”
Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport said: “This new Aspiration
Fund is a fantastic opportunity for some sports to get on
track for the Tokyo Games.
“Many of the sports we are currently unable to support,
while further away from reaching the podium, have great
potential not only to inspire through their performances on
the field of play but also to have a genuine social impact
in communities across the UK.
“We’d like to thank the Government for their continued
support for UK Sport’s mission to inspire the nation
through Olympic and Paralympic success.”
The grants will run to the end of the Tokyo 2020 cycle.
Notes to Editors
Grant recipients are likely to be announced by UK Sport in
December 2018. Grants from the Aspiration Fund will be
capped at £500k for team sports and £275k for individual
sports. Grants from the Aspiration Fund will run to the end
of the Tokyo 2020 cycle.
