OTTAWA, March 13, 2012 /CNW/ - The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), today announced that the Harper Government is providing additional enhanced excellence funding for a number of summer sports, in preparation for the upcoming 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"Our Government is proud to support Canadian athletes and to enhance the Canadian sport system," said Minister of State Gosal. "Canada's Olympic and Paralympic athletes are a source of inspiration and great pride. The accomplishments of the Canadian team may inspire young people across the country to participate in sport."
The Government of Canada is providing an additional contribution to 11 summer national sport organizations targeted by Own the Podium. The sports receiving funding through Sport Canada's Sport Support Program are athletics, boccia, canoe, cycling, diving, equestrian, goalball, soccer, swimming, wheelchair rugby, and wrestling.
"The Canadian Olympic Committee welcomes the Harper Government's funding towards a number of targeted high-performance sports in Canada," said Marcel Aubut, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee. "In the final stretch towards London 2012, this financial boost is very timely. The funds announced today are part of ensuring that Canada's outstanding athletes are ready to compete at their best in the Olympic environment."
"The Canadian Paralympic Committee is looking forward with great anticipation to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where Canada is expected to field a highly competitive team of about 150 athletes," said Henry Storgaard, CEO of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "This enhanced funding will no doubt help our top medal-potential sports gain an extra edge as they strive for the podium and make Canada proud, which will in turn inspire more Canadians with a disability to be active in sports. We truly appreciate the Government of Canada's investment in excellence."
"The Government of Canada continues to lead the way in creating a new culture for winning, which all Canadian athletes now fully support," said Anne Merklinger, Chief Executive Officer, Own the Podium. "This additional support is another critical step forward taken by the Canadian Government to help deliver the resources athletes need to climb the podium at the upcoming 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London."
The Government of Canada is the single largest contributor to sport in Canada and supports participation and excellence from playground to podium. The Government of Canada has already provided $33,346,487 to summer national sport organizations in 2011-2012 through Sport Canada's Sport Support Program.
BACKGROUNDER
The Government of Canada is providing an additional contribution of $2,298,300 to 11 summer national sport organizations through Sport Canada's Sport Support Program.
Own the Podium (OTP) is a national sport technical initiative that was created to help Canada become the number one nation (total medal count) at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and to place in the top three nations (gold medal count) at the 2010 Paralympic Games. The initiative also set a goal for Canadian athletes to place in the top 12 at the London 2012 Olympic Games and to be in the top 8 nations at the 2012 Paralympic Games.
The largest contributor of funding to Own the Podium is the Government of Canada, with additional funding from the corporate community and the Canadian Olympic Committee through its Canadian Olympic Foundation.
Funding is distributed directly to national sport organizations and Canadian sport centres. Enhanced excellence funding is based on the recommendations of Own the Podium and is used primarily to support training and competition opportunities, coaches' salaries, equipment, and sport science and medicine services for Olympic and Paralympic athletes and teams with podium potential.
This additional funding will assist the national sport organizations with final preparations for their athletes and teams leading up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.
The funding has been allocated as follows:
| Sport | TOTAL | Olympic Sport | Paralympic Sport |
| Athletics | $365,300 | $192,000 | $173,300 |
| Boccia | $25,000 | - | $25,000 |
| Canoe/Kayak | $100,000 | $100,000 | - |
| Cycling | $208,000 | $173,000 | $35,000 |
| Diving | $25,000 | $25,000 | - |
| Equine | $432,500 | $312,000 | $120,500 |
| Goalball | $200,000 | - | $200,000 |
| Soccer | $455,000 | $455,000 | - |
| Swimming | $265,000 | $240,000 | $25,000 |
| Wheelchair rugby | $157,500 | - | $157,500 |
| Wrestling | $65,000 | $65,000 | - |
| $2,298,300 | $1,562,000 | $736,300 |
(media only), please contact:
Jenny Van Alstyne
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Bal Gosal, P.C., M.P.
Minister of State (Sport)
819-934-1122
[email protected]
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
[email protected]
(This news release is available on the Internet at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca under Newsroom.)
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