Sprinter's success rekindles dispute over Olympic funding

A young Irish sprinter became a world champion yesterday only to find her achievement rekindling a long-standing row between the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) and the Minister for Sport.

Emily Maher (17), from Hugginstown, Co Kilkenny, became the first Irish athlete to win a World Youth Olympic medal when she won the 100 metres sprint at the games in Moscow in 11.92 seconds.

The OCI - an independent body which represents Ireland in Olympic matters - says the six members of the Irish team were present at the games only because of the generosity of the Russian government, which supplied air tickets and full accommodation for the squad. Ireland was the only European country which did not send an official squad, it said.

The Government, through the Irish Sports Council, had offered £50,000 to send a squad to the Moscow games. This was turned down by the OCI as being insufficient to send a full squad.

In a statement last night, the president of the OCI, Mr Pat Hickey, said: "It's a great shame that the Department of Sport has tarnished Ireland's image abroad by refusing to fund a full Irish squad. The Minister for Sport [Dr McDaid] spent millions on the Tour de France while some of Ireland's talented young athletes have had to accept a last-minute handout from the Russian government."

Dr McDaid said his Department had offered up to £50,000 towards the cost of sending a team, but "regretfully the Olympic Council chose not to take up this offer". In a statement responding to Mr Hickey's comments, Dr McDaid said: "Mr Hickey would be better to desist from the tactic of sniping, which is not conducive to fostering the co-operative spirit that should exist as Ireland embarks on the final critical stages of preparation for Sydney 2000."