‘World-class’ O’Sullivan and O’Dwyer major grant winners

IRISH Sports Council chiefs were again forced to defend their High Performance Grant scheme at yesterday’s announcement of the 2006 allocations.

Last year the decision not to provide funding under new stricter criteria for high-profile athletes like Sonia O’Sullivan, Mark Carroll, Karen Shinkins, Peter Coghlan and James Nolan was a source of huge controversy.

Coghlan and Nolan have again been omitted this year, as has Maria McCambridge, all of whom have been running regularly and may compete in the World Indoor and European championships.