UK Sport has been asked to provide £250,000 ($324,100) in emergency funding to Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby or face the "embarrassing" prospect of "the sport being unable to take part in next year's World Championships in Australia." The sport was "among those cut off from all UK Sport funding for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic cycle" in December but "proved its medal potential" last weekend by winning the European Championships. A letter from GBWR CEO David Pond to new UK Sport Chair Katherine Grainger said that £200,000 ($259,300) would be provided by the sport and "most coaches and support staff would work on a volunteer basis" (LONDON TIMES, 7/6).
Korea Sport & Olympic Committee President Lee Kee-heung said Thursday that "it is too early to talk about a unified team or joint march between the two Koreas" at the 2018 PyeongChang Games because North Korea has "yet to confirm its participation." Lee acknowledged that "sports exchanges are instrumental to the reconciliation of the two Koreas." Lee said that the PyeongChang Games will be remembered as "peace Olympics" if North Korea takes part (YONHAP, 7/6).
