UK Sport has provided most Olympic and Paralympic sports more money for this four-year cycle but athletics is not one of them

UK Athletics has suffered an eight per cent cut to its funding from UK Sport for the LA 2028 Games.

Despite Great Britain securing 10 track and field medals at the Paris Olympics – the biggest tally in athletics since 1984 – funding will be slashed from £22.2m to £20.5m.

Keely Hodgkinson, who is favourite to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year prize on Tuesday, was crowned Olympic 800m champion in Paris and became Great Britain’s first female track and field gold medallist since Jessica Ennis-Hill at London 2012.

Every single one of the five relay teams also won medals in the French capital.

UK Sport has granted a record £330m to Team GB for the LA 2028 Games and 44 out of 46 sports have received either the same or more money in this four-year cycle.

Athletics and canoeing are the only two sports that have had their funding reduced.

Rowing was granted the biggest increase, seeing its funding grow from £22.7m to £24.9m. Cycling and sailing, with £30.13m and £23.95m, have also fared well.

“We are disappointed we did not receive the settlement we were hoping for from UK Sport for the Olympic programme,” Jack Buckner, UK Athletics’ chief executive said.

“We felt the progress we have made in the last few years culminating in 10 medals in both the World Championships and the Olympics, not to mention the wholesale improvements in governance and our events and commercial model deserved a higher level of investment.

“Unfortunately, UK Sport could not be convinced of the merits of our case at this time. Whilst our budgets will be tighter for the next four years, we shall keep building momentum and finding ways to support athletes to realise their potential at major championships.  We can assure our many great athletes, coaches and volunteers of our absolute commitment to support your aspirations to succeed in our sport.”

Jack Buckner (Getty)

However, UK Sport’s chief executive Sally Munday insisted that UK Athletics’ total grant – once the £9.8m of Paralympic funding was factored in – would be around the £30m mark.

“I’m responsible for public money so we wouldn’t be giving them £30m [if it was a rebuke against UK Athletics],” she said. “We wouldn’t be investing in the events, we wouldn’t be talking about bringing the World Championship here [in 2029]. If they were on the naughty step, we wouldn’t be giving them £30m.

“You can leave with no doubt we are backing this sport [athletics] and we are giving them the money that we believe will enable them to be successful.”

In October, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a 10% increase in funding for UK Sport to support British athletes in the lead in to LA 2028.

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