11 Dec 2008
The BAC is very concerned about the recent statement from the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, stating that the “Medal Hopes” program is the “only official way to sponsor athletes on UK Sport’s World Class Performance Programme”.
This suggests that any sponsor of “Medal Hopes” will be giving money directly to the athletes’ and thus gain associated rights to these athletes. Our understanding is that this scheme is to raise money to plug the £50million elite sport funding shortfall and therefore this money will be predominantly spent on infrastructure and support services and not given directly to the athletes.
The BAC supports the initiative to raise money from the commercial sector to fill the funding shortfall, but it is clear that if a company wishes to sponsor an athlete for appearances, image rights, endorsements and any level of exclusivity that “Medal Hopes” is not the way to do this.
BAC Chair Karen Pickering said:
“We must ensure that the lack of clarity around this scheme does not deter organisations who want to invest in sport from doing so through other channels. It is time that the parties involved in designing “Medal Hopes” provide detail around the scheme now.”
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