UK Sport announces extra investment for Paris 2024 preparations

British Swimming welcomes the increase, which will see artistic swimming programme’s funding receive an additional £95,000 through the National Squad Support Fund (NSSF) into Paris 2024. Diving enjoyed a stunning 2022 international season, with the programme boosted by £180,000 heading into the crucial pre-Paris competition period. The swimming programme’s investment, meanwhile, will increase by £158,395, with the para-swimming funding aided by an additional £94,325. Water polo's funding remains the same as previously announced, as part of the NSSF

The increased investment across 33 sports will support athletes in their preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including allowing athletes to attend extra competitions that have been added to the international calendar and are essential to qualification for the Paris Games, in addition to training camps. Following last year’s significant uplifts of £11.2m of additional investment in summer sports on top of the original Paris cycle awards the latest round of investments prioritised support on activities and requirements that will have a direct impact on Paris 2024 qualification.

Within the additional £4m of funding, 26 World Class Programmes will benefit from £3.5m of extra investment. A further half a million pounds will be invested across Progression sports, those with identified long-term medal potential and National Squads Support Fund sports, where funding is designed to support the costs associated with forming and fielding squads for competition on the Olympic and Paralympic qualification pathway.

These additional investments come following the summer sports 2022 Annual Review. A full breakdown of the investments is available here. The increased funding announced today does not include Athlete Performance Awards, which are managed separately of individual sport investment.

Kate Baker, Director of Performance at UK Sport, gave the rationale behind the allocation.

“With the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games less than 18 months away, the additional investments we are making - which are possible thanks to the support of The National Lottery - are aimed at supporting our sports in the lead in to Paris, while also keeping one eye on the longer term," she said.

“It is vital that we focus our resources on supporting our brilliant athletes and staff - with major championships and Paris qualification requirements obviously at the forefront of our minds – and also ensure we continue to strengthen the system going forward.”

“Building on the breadth of success we saw across both our Olympic and Paralympic teams in Tokyo and on the excellent results achieved last year, these investments are designed to power our ambition to remain in the top five of both medal tables and to reach, inspire and unite the nation here at home.”

British Swimming Performance Director, Chris Spice, warmly received the news.

"With all eyes on next summer, our athletes are looking to build on some historic Olympic and Paralympic performances in Tokyo. This additional investment for our divers, swimmers and para-swimmers, courtesy of UK Sport and The National Lottery, will play its part in ensuring we are in the best position when we get into the arena in Paris and that the needs of our athletes can best be met as we prepare for the Games over the next 18 months, as we look to provide the best platform for our diving, para-swimming and swimming teams to succeed on the biggest stage," said Chris. 

Britain’s artistic swimming manager Karen Thorpe added: “We are thrilled about this funding news. As we build towards Paris 2024, on the back of a really successful World and European Championship campaign last year, this funding will set us up well in light ofthe recent changes to our sport.”