CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has defended the amount of money the Government spends on elite sport following criticism from certain sections of the media as well as competing countries about Team GB “buying medals” at the 2016 Olympics.

Almost £350 million will be spent on Olympic and Paralympic programmes between 2013-2017 with some estimates suggesting that the total cost of each medal won in Rio was £5.5 million.

Mr Stride said: “The Government only contributes a third of the funding for elite sport as the majority comes from the National Lottery set up by John Major in the 1990s.

“It costs each Briton just over £1 per year – a bargain for the level of success achieved in Rio which has given the whole country a boost and will inspire people to exercise more and to get involved with a range of sports.

“The Paralympics is also important because of its ability to challenge the preconception that a disability is an insurmountable obstacle to success and this is especially important for young people living with disabilities to see.”

Mr Stride also pointed out that the individual funding grants that some athletes are eligible to receive; between £15,000 and £28,000 a year, is earned by the average Premier League footballer in three or four days.

Team GB will have 264 athletes competing in 19 sports at the 2016 Paralympics starting on September 7.

Alan Quick