Athlete Support
Athlete Support provides a seamless and integrated pathway for the development of emerging talent, and supports the training and preparation programmes for elite athletes who have demonstrated the potential to win medals, or equivalent, in significant international competitions and events (such as the Olympics, Paralympics and Commonwealth Games). At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, 93 of the athletes in the team were supported through Athlete Support.
It is a Lottery Programme which merges and replaces the former Junior Groups and Talented Athlete programmes. Funding is provided through sportscotland, who make one annual investment to a governing body against an operational business plan, giving governing bodies greater control of the financial support they receive.
Athletes who are eligible to represent Scotland or UK at junior or senior level, who are committed to a specific sport and have met the appropriate international standards of performance may apply for athlete support through their governing body. All athletes who receive athlete support are supported by the sportscotland medical scheme ( www.sportscotland.gov.uk).
Figures from the end of 2005 show that sportscotland has made over 3,700 awards totalling over £21.7 million under the Talented Athlete Programme, The Junior Groups Programme and now Athlete Support.