But we should not be blind to the fact that Covid restrictions are hitting athletes from poorer countries hardest. In Papua New Guinea, for instance, there is only one high-performance training facility – which is currently a coronavirus isolation centre. With much of the country back in tier 4, the figures for this winter are likely to be even worse. Just before Christmas, the government gave UK Sport £352m to help British athletes prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics. UK Sport has been a rare success story, and politicians love basking in the reflective glow that comes when a nation wins medals.

Source: The Guardian January 04, 2021 07:52 UTC