| The National Lottery has been a success for many | | | | rollover ticket purchases. |
| years for both national heritage projects and in | | | | This influx proved to be hugely successful, and was |
| making members of the public millionaires. One of the | | | | most noticeable in the performance of Team GB's |
| most recent success stories of late though has been | | | | cycling team. The dedication to the training and |
| the performance of the British Olympic team, Team | | | | attention to the smallest details for performance |
| GB as they became known, due to the influx of | | | | enhancement led to a whole host of gold medals |
| funding received for sports through the National | | | | being bagged. Some say that the funding for Olympic |
| Lottery funding scheme, UK Sport. | | | | sports is an extraordinary amount of money to be |
| The British Olympic sports team used to have to fit | | | | provided compared to the benefits, and is |
| training in around a normal daily life of working a nine | | | | disproportionate when considering other ways the |
| to five. This part time training is what led to Britain's | | | | money could be used. |
| reputation of being gold medal flunkies. Back in the | | | | The defence for the expenditure lies in the |
| 1990s, the former Prime Minister John Major | | | | promotion of national pride and a sense of |
| introduced lottery funding to British sports so | | | | achievement. It is argued that having a sports team |
| athletes could concentrate on their talents. The | | | | that goes for gold and succeeds develops a sense of |
| Government also pledged to increase funding available | | | | belonging within communities and across the nation. |
| for these so called Podium Level athletes. This | | | | This national pride is a unifying experience and inspires |
| funding was aimed to encourage new athletic talent | | | | younger generations to dedicate their time to sports, |
| by providing better facilities and training as well to | | | | which in turn keeps them off the streets, away from |
| improve the chances of winning gold medals in the | | | | drugs and alcohol and keeps them healthy too. |
| Olympics. | | | | Is it really too big a price to pay to keep the youth |
| The 2004 Sydney Olympics was a major | | | | of today inspired, and provide facilities for them to |
| disappointment for the British Cycling team, and the | | | | spend time in. The funding isn't just about Olympic |
| British team generally. This was all about to change | | | | medals, it is also about the wellbeing of the country's |
| though in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics | | | | children and how this can improve our nation as a |
| being held in China. Each Podium Level athlete | | | | whole. UK Sports provides facilities for tennis, |
| received 75,000 GBP a year, to enable them to | | | | badminton, archery and swimming to name but a few |
| concentrate on training and be able to ditch the day | | | | and provides coaching too. This has such a beneficial |
| job. Of that money, 25,000 GBP goes to the athlete | | | | affect where it matters most, in the inner cities and |
| as a wage and the rest of the money is to pay for | | | | poor areas. There are now facilities for the children |
| coaching, training facilities and medical specialists. All in | | | | and young adults, and schemes for those who would |
| all, 235 million GBP is provided through UK Sport | | | | not ordinarily be able to afford to take part. There is |
| funding, for all levels of training. The Government | | | | also a goal, a reason to work hard. So next time you |
| provide 60 per cent of this figure and the remaining | | | | buy a lottery ticket and hope to bag the jackpot, |
| 40 per cent comes from the funding from the | | | | remember that you are contributing to the pot of |
| revenue of our scratch cards and Saturday night | | | | gold that could well change somebody's life. |