To enable the UK's top sportsmen and women to compete against the best athletes in the world, Lottery funding is administered in a package of support through their respective sports.
The World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) is designed to develop the athlete and provide them with all the necessary elements to perform and win at the highest level.
Each sport will set out in its WCPP what it feels it needs to provide if its athletes are to achieve a set of agreed performance targets, usually medal placings in major competitions at European, World and Olympic/Paralympic level.
To give the athletes and their sports continuity and the ability to plan ahead, WCPPs are designed to cover a set four-year period, usually an Olympiad. The programmes are monitored on an annual basis to ensure work towards targets is being maintained and value for money achieved.
WCPPs have been developed by 29 Olympic and Paralympic sports and support approximately 600 UK elite sportsmen and women.
Money invested in the WCPPs is used to fund:
- World Class Coaches
- Sports science and medicine back-up
- Warm weather training and acclimatisation opportunities
- Competing at International competitions (including travel and accommodation)
- Athlete development programmes
- Appropriate training facilities
- The post of a Performance Director to bring all these elements together
Elite athletes make many sacrifices in their quest to represent their country at the highest levels. In recognition of this fact,
Athlete Personal Awards are paid to athletes on sports' WCPPs.
These awards are not salaries but a contribution to ensure that athletes can train and perform to the highest levels and, if they wish, work more flexibly, or indeed train full-time to ensure that as much time as necessary is dedicated towards training and competing. The awards are a contribution towards basic living costs, personal training and sports equipment costs. Athletes may also apply for a contribution towards education costs.
Contributions are calculated on the basis of personal circumstances and according to the athlete's performance level and world ranking. These awards are seldom enough to provide a sole income, however they provide substantial help towards giving athletes the flexibility they need to concentrate on their sport.