Additional Funding for M2006 Games Athletes
15 August 2005

During her visit to the Commonwealth Boxing Championships in Glasgow today, Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson announced nearly £1.4m from sportscotland in support of Scotland’s quest for Commonwealth Games success in 2006 and beyond.

Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson, said: “This funding will provide vital support to our top Commonwealth athletes, and along with additional medal enhancement funding it will help to maximise Scotland’s medal winning potential for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next year.

“As the countdown to London 2012 begins, we want to increase participation in sport at all levels. So I am also delighted that some of this money will be used to support the development of grassroots sport, helping to create many more generations of inspired young athletes.”

With only 212 days to go until the opening ceremony in Melbourne, seven sports have received their annual funding totalling over one million pounds ahead of the Games in March (15-26) 2006. Badminton, bowls, boxing, squash, table tennis, triathlon and weightlifting, will all benefit from a total investment of £1,080,300 from sportscotland which will enable all the athletes to undertake the best possible training and preparation programmes ahead of Melbourne, as well as supporting the core infrastructure of each of the sports governing bodies.

The Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland (CGCS), the national sporting body responsible for organisation of the Scottish Commonwealth Games Team preparations, has also received its annual funding from sportscotland of £110,000, whilst 11 sports including the seven listed above, have been awarded a total of £185,922 from the Lottery Fund to enhance their Commonwealth Games medal potential. This investment is aimed at ensuring Scottish athletes are able to prepare in the best way possible and maximise their chances of success in Melbourne.

The majority of sportscotland’s £162,000 award to Amateur Boxing Scotland Ltd will be Athlete Support funding, targeting national senior and junior squads’ coaching and training programmes. Athlete Support totalling £130,000 will help elite athletes focus on qualifying and preparing for the Commonwealth Games. Athlete Support is largely managed by the governing body on behalf of the athletes to cover coaching, training and competition costs.

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in 2002, Craig McEwan is one of the boxers who has been identified for athlete support and is hoping for selection. The 23 year old picked up one of two boxing medals in Manchester, and will once again be looking for a medal in next year’s Games.

Amateur Boxing Scotland Ltd (ABS) will receive a further £32,000 from sportscotland to support the core infrastructure of the organisation. This award will help ABS invest in training and a competition programme for cadets in recognition of the need to focus on the grass roots development of the sport.

Donald Campbell, Administrator, ABS, said: “Amateur Boxing Scotland are delighted with the continued support from sportscotland. This will enable our elite senior boxers to continue competing at European level and help us put forward a programme of equal importance for our junior boxers.”

Also looking ahead to Melbourne in March, Weightlifting Scotland has been awarded £21,750 from sportscotland, with £16,750 of the investment coming from sportscotland’s Athlete Support programme. The funding will support weightlifters in their bid to reach Commonwealth Games qualification standards.

Bronze medallist from Manchester, Tommy Yule, is one of the weightlifters identified for athlete support. Olympic-level athlete Yule won bronze in 2002 in snatch, and will be hoping to medal again next year. Another member of the Commonwealth Games training squad is Peter Kirkbride, who secured a gold medal in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo last year. sportscotland funding will help prepare the British record holder for his Commonwealth Games campaign.

Scottish Squash has been awarded £203,740 to support key areas of the sport’s annual plan, a key focus of which is the Commonwealth Games next year. £125,000 of the investment is through Athlete Support to provide a training, domestic and overseas competition budget which will be managed by the governing body.

The award of £73,740 will support the staff infrastructure of Scottish Squash to focus on increasing and developing membership levels across the country and promoting the development of grass roots squash by providing support for clubs and coaches. Key to this will be establishing links between schools and clubs, and to forge closer partnerships with local authorities.

Kim Atkinson, Chief Operating Officer, Scottish Squash, said: “Scottish Squash is delighted to have once again received an increased level of award from sportscotland, which will prove invaluable in supporting the delivery of our new and ambitious annual plan.

“This is an important year in preparing for the Commonwealth Games, and this award will further support squash at all levels, including the Scottish men’s number one, and former world number one, John White and Scottish women’s number one, and current European Bronze medallist, Pam Nimmo, both of who have impressively already met the selection standard for the Commonwealth Games.”

Other beneficiaries of sportscotland funding are BADMINTONscotland who have been awarded £383,160, Scottish Bowling Association with an award of £35,000, Scottish Women’s Bowling Association, who will also receive £35,000, Table Tennis Scotland, who have been awarded £68,000 and Triathlon Scotland with an investment of £171,650.

Julia Bracewell OBE, the new Chair of sportscotland and former Commonwealth Championship medallist in fencing, said: “We are delighted to award over £1M to these seven sports which will all feature heavily in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. With such an important year ahead for all these athletes, I am sure the Athlete Support funding, complemented by the medal enhancement funding will make a significant contribution to enable them to undertake the best possible training and preparation programme ahead of Melbourne.”
The award of £110,000 to the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland (CGCS), will support the core administration and strategic planning function of the Games Council, enabling them to promote, select, prepare, outfit and transport the Scottish Team ahead of the Games next year.
Louise Martin CBE, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland, said: “At a key time when the athletes are trying to meet Commonwealth Games selection standards for next year’s Games in Melbourne, today’s funding announcement from sportscotland is a real boost. In particular, it will help the Games Council continue its own preparations to ensure the athletes selected for the Scottish team have the right support in place when they embark on their quest for success down under.”