Turmoil at the top
Tuesday July 13, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

In a damning report the British athletes at the Vancouver Olympic Games have sharply criticised the people that organise their sports. The authorities admit that big changes need to be made.

On the surface the athletes seemed happy during the Winter Games but behind the scenes and in the run up to The 2010 Winter Games things were, apparently, very different.

In a report from the British Athletes Commission the athletes themselves say they were poorly funded, let down by their National Governing Bodies and believe medal success will not happen unless things change.

They say most things had got worse from the previous Winter Games at Turin in 2006.

In part this was due the financial problems and collapse of Snowsport GB just days before The Games got underway, but the report from the athletes details problems going back many years.

We reported on the demise of Snowsport GB at the time.

Here are some of the negative comments in the report:

Coaching/facilities.

"Any coaching or facilities would be an improvement."

"The sport desperately needs more coaches but does not have any budget to fund this."

"How can any sport be world class when athletes are training themselves?"

The National Governing Bodies

"The NGB has no structure, no performance director, no money and if radical changes aren't made then no future."

"They were awful in pretty much every way."

But there are also some positive remarks about the pre-Olympic training camps and The Games themselves.

Pre-Olympic Training Camp

"Everything was excellent."

"It was perfect."

At The Games

"Absolutely brilliant experience."

"The BOA can take credit for the staff they had, the ethos and atmosphere they created."

"An excellent games. Brilliant volunteers and spectators."

Amy Williams; Britain's only Olympic success

It should perhaps also be borne in mind that athletes will always want more money and better training facilities, however the overall comments have surprised many in their strength of feeling and criticism.

"Many of Britain's 2010 Winter Olympians are distinctly unhappy with their National Governing bodies in most areas of operation," says the conclusion of the report.

"The Board, management, staff and coaches need to have a long, frank and comprehensive look at themselves and humbly seek advice and guidance..... to get their houses in order."

The British Olympic Association has read the 20-page report and says, "We agree with many of the findings and recommendations."

It goes on to say that "We know there is much more that we can and should do in the future."

At the Vancouver Games Britain took just one medal, albeit a gold, in the skeleton.

The BOA had hoped for at least 2 medals.

For the full report from the athletes see here.