UK Athletics CEO Ed Warner "urged UK Sport to create funding parity for governing bodies for Olympic and Paralympic medal success," according to Gareth Davies of the London TELEGRAPH. Warner said, "We care passionately about Para athletes being given equal status and opportunity, in terms of funding, government support, lottery support, to their able-bodied counterparts. ... I don't think any of us should rest until medals are regarded of equal value by the funding agency." At present, individual Olympic and Paralympic athletes have funding parity, but not governing bodies. For example, UK Athletics has £27M ($35.2M) of funding for the Rio-Tokyo cycle for Olympians and £11.8M ($15.4M) for Paralympians. Warner, also vice-chair of the London World Para Athletics Championships, added, "The maths says that isn't yet the case." However, a UK Sport spokesperson said, "The U.K. is one of the biggest supporters of its Paralympic athletes in the world. UK Sport refutes any suggestion that there is not absolute parity in terms of how UK Sport invests into Olympic and Paralympic success" (TELEGRAPH, 7/18).
