OCI pledge to fund elite swim team

The Olympic Council Of Ireland (OCI) has stepped into the debate on funding between the Minister for Tourism and Sport, Dr Jim McDaid, and the squad of elite Irish swimmers, Team 2000. The OCI yesterday pledged to fund champion Irish sprinter Nick O'Hare and has promised to meet the rest of the group next week with a view to funding their needs until Dr McDaid resumes funding the sport.

The Minister stopped all grants to the Irish Amateur Swimming Association (IASA) earlier this year following sex abuse scandals involving two Olympic coaches, George Gibney and Derry O'Rourke.

The Association has voted to disband, leaving Irish swimmers unable to plan their training for next year's European Championships in Turkey and the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

The OCI's offer was welcomed by swimmers, who are now desperate for funding, but was described by Fianna Fail TD Michael Moynihan as "a cynical use of athletes" and a "turf war which it (OCI) has deservedly lost". Mr Moynihan's statement goes on to question the OCI's motivation.

The OCI statement, which it claims was prompted by a letter from O'Hare, states: "The OCI has moved to help top swimmer Nick O'Hare and his Swimming Team 2000 colleagues following the widely condemned decision of the Minister for Sport, Dr James McDaid, not to fund any members of the squad.

"As a result of a direct request to the Council, the OCI has opened its Sydney Success Fund five months ahead of its planned starting date of January next. The fund, which comes exclusively from the marketing and sponsorship income of the OCI, is earmarked for elite Olympic athletes."

In the statement Pat Hickey, president of the organisation, also claims that young swimmers are being penalised for the sins of others, and urgent action must be taken.

"We abhor the victimisation that is taking place and want to ensure that every athlete of Olympic potential is treated equally," Hickey said.

"We've made the moves so that Nick and his colleagues can concentrate on developing their outstanding swimming talents. It's a real shame that he and other swimmers with Olympic potential have been caught up in official conflict between the Minister and the IASA."

While Dr McDaid's office welcomed the fact that the swimmers had received funding from a private source, it reaffirmed that its main concern was for the good of 6,500 young people rather than a small number of elite athletes.

"It is, of course, the prerogative of the OCI to provide support to elite athletes from its own resources," said a spokesman for the Minister, who is on holidays. "Any support provided by the state in support of swimming must be routed through the national governing body, the IASA.

"The Minister has made clear that he will not be in a position to restore funding to the Association until their members have expressed satisfaction with procedures and arrangements in place to address the issues raised in the Murphy Inquiry, especially relating to the safety of younger members."

Moynihan claimed that questions should be asked about the administration of the Olympic Council.

"For the second time in as many months the OCI has launched a bitter attack on the Minister for Sport," he said.

"The last time was over the alleged failure of the Government to fund the sending of a team to the Youth Olympics in Moscow.

"In fact, the Government offered £50,000 to the OCI, which was refused as inadequate. The OCI deprived dozens of young Irish athletes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to partake in international competition. The OCI do, however, have money to fund our elite swimmers.

"I believe the OCI cynically used the young athletes who had hoped to go to Moscow and is now using our elite swimmers for the same purpose.

"I deplore the continuing and cynical use of young athletes by the OCI in a turf war which it has deservedly lost.

"If the OCI was motivated by good intentions, why is its announcement of funding for the elite swimmers sunk in stale vitriol about the Minister, the Department and the Sports Council?"

It is uncertain how much money the OCI will hand over to the eight-person elite squad, which consists of Nick O'Hare, Chantal Gibney, Lee Kelleher, Hugh O'Connor, Colin Louth, Paul McCarthy, Naimh Cawley and Adrian O'Connor.

Triple Olympic medallist Michelle de Bruin is not named in the squad because she did not participate in last month's national championships in Belfast.

Recent times in specialist events have to be provided in order to qualify for funding.

The OCI's proposal is to provide funding until full funding is restored to the IASA, which may not take place until the new year.

To further ease the plight of the swimmers, the OCI intends bringing the Team 2000 squad into its medical care programme under the directorship of Dr Joe Comiskey of the Blackrock Clinic.

This programme is not funded by taxpayers.