GYMNASTICS: THE future of Chester's world-class gymnasts Beth Tweddle and Melanie Roberts could be jeopardised if cuts in Lottery funding are implemented next year.
UK Sport is said to be considering slashing funding for the sport's Olympic performance programme by nearly 95% from £928,000 to £48,000 - enough for one gymnast but no coach and no team-mates. That could spell disaster not only for Tweddle and Roberts, but for the sport in general at a time when British gymnastics is on the rise.
Athletics, judo, triathlon and shooting could also lose out as a policy is being considered to fund sports based on its performances in Athens.
Beth, a former Queen's School pupil and now a sports science student at John Moores University in Liverpool, declined to comment, while Melanie, a pupil at St David's High School in Saltney, is in Australia representing Wales at the Commonwealth Youth Games.
But British Gymnastics' chief executive Alan Sommerville, dismissed the reports as 'alarmist'. He said: 'UK Sport is merely working on a formula which is not yet complete. Because there is less Lottery money available with less people playing the game, UK Sport is prioritising how to spend the money.
'We will certainly not be sitting back and waiting to see what happens. We will be making our case for funding before January. We have a 12-year plan which includes being Olympic medal contenders in 2008 and 2012.
'British gymnastics is in reach of medals and Beth Tweddle has played a big part in helping us to achieve that. But it has been a team effort which is starting to pay off.'
Beth, who lives in Bunbury, will be competing in two disciplines at the World Cup Final in Birmingham next month. She will be in the bars final by right and has been given a wild card for the floor exercise.
