UK Sport Cuts Funding To Four Winter Sports For '18-22 Cycle

Three-time world champion Elise Christie said that she was "gutted" after short-track speed skating was one of four winter sports to lose UK Sport funding for the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic cycle, according to the BBC. Christie will, however, receive investment from the governing body through a "medal support plan" despite not winning a medal at the PyeongChang Olympics. She said, "I am gutted for our sport." UK Sport will invest £24M ($31.6M) into winter sports during the '18-22 cycle, down from £32M for '14-18. Bobsleigh, figure skating and wheelchair curling are the other three sports to be "transitioned off funding." After its athletes won three medals in PyeongChang -- including a second successive Gold for Lizzy Yarnold -- skeleton will receive an increase in funding, as will ski and snowboard, following Bronze medals for Billy Morgan and Izzy Atkin. Curling will also receive an increase, "though no British competitors won medals in the sport in South Korea" (BBC, 7/2).