How Much?!!

radicalnan, if I want to spend my £2 a week on a flutter on the Lottery, I b****y well will! And how does someone having sporting ability rub the noses of the poor in anything? Believe it or not, some poor people have ability too....

I think the "amateur" athletes individually should show how much they received from the National Lottery ... Elitiste sports like shooting,rowing,sailing equestrian and so on should not received anything ... the cyclism ,Athletism should show how much they "earn" from the Lottery and how the system work and there should a maximum amount for an athlete to receive...
Also the " Amateur Athletes" receiving sponsorship should not receive anything
that's my opinion

I didn't think they had to be amateurs anymore, most are full time athletes. I mentioned the high % of private school educated athletes to highlight the fact that not everyone has the same opportunities to participate in sports like rowing or sailing. I'm all for extending opportunities to all, so concentrating the funding on sports which give GB medals like sailing is not necessarily the fairest policy. Maybe more money on school sport instead of cutting it would be a start.

It is interesting that there is a Sports Premium that goes to primary (and ? secondary) schools specifically for the purpose of encouraging sports at school. As a school governor I always feel frustrated that there is no similar grant to encourage participation in music for example, which is know to have many knock-on benefits for children - raised academic standards, improved behaviour etc. Why sport in particular? - who knows?

I can't believe the amount of negative feedback going on here. For once Great Britain is doing really well with the Olympics and the medal winners when they're interviewed all say how proud they are representing their country. What a small minded attitude -youngsters of all ages and talents are given the opportunity to be the best they can be with sport.

susied I was privately educated but sailing and rowing were not on the curriculum. Yes, we played a lot of sports but it was tennis, hockey, netball and cricket. Not exactly elitist sports!

I'm with Radicalnan, not all youngsters have the same opportunity, I had none in my local authority school cos I wanted to ride, neither did my children who also wanted to ride but we were too poor. But if you pay for a private education these things are available though at a greater cost.

I would love to see art, drama, music etc. properly funded. I'm not interested in a few athletes winning medals on bits of ribbon.

Nicola Addams is on now, in the boxing. Ordinary background, accessible sport, just determination and commitment required. Well done her. A fantastic role model.

spabbygirl horse riding is not available at extra cost at every private school. Swimming was for me but that is not elitist. That was the only sport which one could pay for as an extra.

Sport is vital - it's not just the athletes who get to the Olympics the facilities in all the participating countries are shared by thousands. Athletes inspire children - you can't put a price on that. That hard work equals achievement is a vital lesson.
To mix young people from all over the world even from countries like North Korea is fantastic. To see Muslim women running in a hijab is an education for us all.
Mixing our countries sharing our cultures will do more for world peace than any politician ever did - I think it's worth it, every penny and an excellent use of lottery money.

As some said, countries who could do with the economic boost can't afford to host them, much nowadays because of the security logistics/standards required.

I think encouraging sport for all is great , I'm just questioning the current policy of targeting certain sports at the elite level. I wonder how much women 's boxing gets? I think Nicola Adams achievements are brilliant.

It doesn't seem fair that professional athletes earning megabucks (eg Andy Murray) and unsponsored athletes compete in the same games. Either be fully professional or be fully amateur. If its an entertainment then let it pay its own way. Football manages to fill stadia and pay their players fortunes. Can the Olympics not be self sustaining. Currently each of our medals has cost several million pounds.

The lottery money has been brilliant for sport in this country, and the arts as well.It's not from the public purse, so why the sour grapes? People can have a small flutter each week AND support all sorts of things into the bargain.Honestly, this griping, although a British disease, is getting out of hand!

Just as a point of interest re a comment from suzied earlier re private schools. I read that only a quarter of the athletes from Team GB went to private school. Not that it should matter.

For those of you who are wondering what your district gets out of the lottery, go to www.lottery.culture.gov and find the Department for culture media and sports - lottery grants search. You can put your area in and see what has been given, and to which good cause. I do the lottery, when I remember, and am quite happy to support sport as much of it goes to the grass roots. I disagree that much of it goes to the 'elite' sports and think that sport keeps many disadvantaged youth on the straight and narrow and gives those non-academic, but sporty, children a chance to shine.

A quarter of athletes from private schools is still 3.5 times the proportion they are in the general population .

Lottery funding should absolutely not be used for propping up or supplementing government responsibilities such as NHS. I have been happily watching the olympics but always switch it off when tennis with Murray or Williams sisters is on. These are professional full time players with the best of trainers/dieticians/phyios etc at their fingertips, and they earn squillions in fees and products endorsements. Compare them to the swimmers ( parents dropping them at pool before school, driving them around to galas every weekend etc) and it is very unfair. Not sure how I would feel about the cost of staging the olympics if I lived in Brazil though.

Shouldn't have to.

I'm not interested in a few athletes winning medals on bits of ribbon.
I think those athletes inspire so many young people to try to achieve their best, even if their best is not to Olympic standard.

rosesarered how right you are about the griping.

GillT57 I think Adam Peaty's mother used to get up at about 4 am, take him to swimming, get home and get ready for a day's work.
When he also started training at Repton School, rather than at Uttoxeter Leisure Centre – the establishment which could soon carry his name – he was reliant on his mother Caroline for a lift (his father Mark does not drive).
"My mum was like: 'There is no way we can do that,'" Peaty once said.
"Financially, it was a lot to spend on petrol – about £100 a week – and she works as a nursery manager near Stoke.
"I was used to walking down to the pool in Uttoxeter twice a week and it was a massive change financially and lifestyle-wise."
His mother said:
‘It was really hard getting up at 4am, taking him swimming for 5am, then coming home, dropping him off, having breakfast, getting ready for work, doing a full day’s work, then going training at night,’ his mum told the BBC.
‘But it was hard going for Adam because he had school and all the exams but he stuck with it. He was the one who dragged me, not the other way round.
‘He never complained about getting up. If I wanted to stay in bed another hour, he’d say: “Come on mum, champions aren’t made in bed!”
Money was tight, so their neighbours organised fund-raising barbecues and Christmas parties in the street, to pay for the petrol when he took part in national competitions.
*Eventually, he secured National Lottery funding of around £15,000 a year, which has risen to £30,000.*

Well done Adam!! and all the others who have worked so hard over the years at their sports, represented our country so well and inspired so many other youngsters.

No-one has to buy a Lottery ticket by the way. It's not compulsory.

Success at sport, amongst other things, gives a great boost to the country and invokes a feeling of optimism and well being for many people. I think it is probably excellent value for money. I am thoroughly enjoying watching it.If anyone wants to have a go at sports people then look at football where the likes of Rooney earn a quarter of a million pounds a WEEK now that is obscene. I certainly would not use the money spent on our athletes to prop up the NHS which should be funded by the government through taxes. Or perhaps cancel Trident.

I agree with gettingonabit. Remember ANYONE Can apply for lottery funding. If their idea is good enough, funding will be granted and hey ho, improvements can be made to many areas and lives.
No good harping on about what could be, if you know of something that could help your area, get stuck in and organise a bid to make it happen!
I am loving the Olympics and the sports people are not just a priveledged few but dedicated grafters, rather them than me.

Bread and circuses. Nice distraction from the country's problems. At least we've got some shiny new medals...

I love the Olympics, people working hard and putting in alot of effort into their chosen sport, to win a medal for their country. There are also wonderful stories about athletes who in some cases live in slums and have a very hard life who triumph and get medals through sheer hard work. The Olympics are once every four years and alot of people enjoy them, and no, I do not think it is a waste of money. Long may they continue.

now if it was taxpayers' money one could say that, but I'm not sure that is the motive of the Big Lottery Fund, shouldn't that be apolitical?