Funding cut for Athletics in 2012 build up.

Athletes throughout the U.K must be worried with just a few short years before the 2012 Olympics in London.

After one of the worst performances ever by a U.K team in the Birds nest stadium in China, just one gold medal,the government has decided to focus its investments in the more succesful sports of late, Cycling, swimming and Rowing. Cycling has seen a 21.5% increase in funding. Rowings funding will be a massive £27m. Athletics meanwhile has seen a cut of some £1.5m, which has caused UK Athletics to cut down from 40 athletes, to 30.

Is it a smart move to downsize on funding in an area where we are already going downhill? surely it will just accelerate the problem.

Some athletes, like Jenny Meadows from Wigan, are already struggling for sponsorship for all the travelling and training required to be a success. This government funding cut is going to really have an impact on these athletes, its almost a recession, upon a recession. A map found at http://rmarsh2jn2053.blogspot.com/ shows just how far athletes have to travel to compete.

Athletics is the main sport in schools that is not football, so why cut down on the funding? We need role models to inspire young people into seriously taking up athletics.

With a decision like this the government is already cutting its chances of victory in arguably the most headline grabbing part of any olympics. What happens in the stadium is the centre stage.

These are difficult times for athletics competitors, and they do not need the government cutting their funding at all.