Hickey warns of dangers of cutting sports funding

OLYMPIC Council of Ireland (OCI) President Pat Hickey last night warned that Irish hopes of medal glory at the London Games in three years’ time will be ‘a complete flop’ if proposed cuts to sports funding are implemented.

Hickey, who is also President of the powerful European Olympic Committees, has called on the government to ring-fence monies for the 2012 global showpiece and said sport should not be ‘an easy target’ in the efforts of money men to balance the national books.

He also revealed he has received enquiries from a number of high profile countries, including the USA, about setting up training camps in Ireland prior to the Olympics. However, he claimed a lack of investment in the next year or two may result in such federations looking elsewhere to fine-tune their athletes’ preparations.