World Class Pathway
Olympic modern pentathlon bronze medallist, Georgina Harland
On 1 April 2006, UK Sport assumed full responsibility for all Olympic and Paralympic performance-related support in England, from the identification of talent right the way through to performing at the top level. It will also provide expert high performance consultancy to non-Olympic sports in England, to help improve performance and drive success in the future.
Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland athletes will continue to be funded by their home countries until they reach World Class Performance standard; however the streamlining of the system presented by the transfer of responsibility to UK Sport makes it possible for those athletes to join UK-wide pathway programmes at an earlier stage.
In taking on this new responsibility, and remaining focused on a 'no compromise' approach, UK Sport has redefined the terms under which funding and support will be provided. It will operate a World Class Performance Pathway at three key levels:
- World Class Podium
This Programme will support sports with realistic medal capabilities at the next Olympic/Paralympic Games (i.e. a maximum of four years away from the podium). At this level, an assessment of realistic medal projections determines the required investment per sport using the models introduced post-Athens for Olympic and Paralympic sports. Athlete places will be distributed to a sport based on a combination of the sport's: results at the last Games; competitive track record; project medal capability in the future; demonstrated ability to constantly produce athletes through the pathway. Support is provided through a performance programme with the governing body and an athlete personal award.
- World Class Development*
This Programme is designed to support the stage of the pathway immediately beneath the Podium. It will comprise of sportsthat have demonstrated that they have realistic medal winning capabilities for 2012. For sports already funded by the Podium Programme their continued success will only be possible if there is investment in the next wave of talented athletes coming through the system. Olympic athletes at this level are typically six years away from the podium, whereas this timeframe may be considerably shortened for Paralympic athletes.
Other sports not yet funded at Podium Programme level but where there is performance evidence that they have the potential to medal in the next Olympic/Paralympic cycle are eligible for consideration for funding at World Class Development level. In the period to the home Games in 2012, additionally and exceptionally, World Class Development will also embrace those sports with realistic capabilities to be competitive in 2012 but where medal achievement is unlikely.
- World Class Talent*
This Programme is designed to support the identification and confirmation of athletes who have the potential to progress through the World Class pathway with the help of targeted investment. Funding provided through the programme will allow sports to identify the athletes with all the right attributes to ensure they can go on to compete effectively on the world stage. In addition, this programme will look to raise the level of sophistication by which sports approach the identification of new athletes and examine ways in which talent, where appropriate, can be transferred across sports. Olympic athletes will be a maximum of 8 years away from the podium, but again could be much less for Paralympic athletes.
* Current Paralympic 'Fast Track' funding straddles both Development and Talent programmes. This may change as additional resources become available for the 2012 campaign, with the likelihood that it will increasingly be embedded within the World Class Talent programme.
