Britain may pay Olympic medallists

Britain may pay gold medallists pounds 20,000 ($32,000) at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as part of a 12-point plan to improve the nation's standing at the world's biggest sporting occasion.

In the country's worst Olympic performance since the 1952 Helsinki Games, rowers Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent won Britain's only title in Atlanta this year.

A report from British chef de mission Richard Palmer, presented to the British Olympic Association's annual general meeting on Wednesday, acknowledged that Atlanta had been "something of a curate's egg - good and bad in places."

Atlanta, despite its many positive features, was a hard, difficult Games." Palmer said. "Clear messages have been signalled, both to the Olympic movement and to British sport.

"British sport needs wit, imagination and clear focus if it is to meet the challenges that are certain to face us in Sydney in 2000."

A document presented to the meeting, entitled "Athlete Performance Strategy to 2000" said the setting up of a British Academy of Sport, announced by Prime Minister John Major during the Atlanta Games, would have little effect on performances at the 1998 Nagano Winter Games or the Sydney Olympics.

"It is therefore important that a framework of clear objectives are agreed by the BOA as a strategy from 1996-2000," the document said.

It said selected athletes should be guaranteed economic support, full and part-time coaches appointed, team managers reimbursed for time off work and financial rewards offered to all medallists in Sydney and Nagano.

"It doesn't need to be cash for medals," the BOA chairman, Craig Reedie, told a news conference yesterday. "If you are a medallist maybe you could get cash for training for the next four years.

"It's a sobering experience to see what world-class competition is like, particularly at the Olympic Games.

"I certainly believe there's a fair reservoir of young talent in this country and their medal prospects would be enhanced if they don't have to worry about dole money."

Reedie said he was "irritated" at the delay in the formation of the new UK Sports Council, and that its close working relationship with the BOA was crucial to an improvement in Britain's fortunes at the highest level.