Great Britain’s bronze medal in boxing at the recent Olympics came at a steep cost of over £12 million in funding from UK Sport. Boxing was the most expensive sport per medal, with Lewis Richardson’s bronze in the men’s welterweight standing as the sole podium finish out of six competitors.
UK Sport’s total investment for the Paris Olympic cycle reached £245.8 million, with the average cost per medal being £3.78 million. Despite boxing’s high cost, its future is uncertain due to an ongoing dispute between the International Olympic Committee and the International Boxing Association.
Cycling topped the funding list, with £29.3 million invested and 11 medals won, including gold for Tim Pidcock in men’s cross-country and the women’s team sprint. This equates to a cost of £2.7 million per medal. Rowing (£23.8 million), sailing (£22.8 million), and athletics (£22.8 million) followed, with rowing producing eight medals, sailing securing two, and athletics achieving ten medals.
Sailing’s two medals cost £11.4 million each, while rowing’s was £2.98 million per medal, and athletics’ was £2.23 million. Taekwondo also featured high on the list, with Caden Cunningham’s silver costing £8.3 million.
Hockey received significant investment but failed to win any medals, as both Great Britain teams were eliminated in the quarter-finals. Judo (£6.4 million) and modern pentathlon (£5.7 million) also did not secure medals.
Notably, Tommy Fleetwood’s silver medal in golf incurred no Olympic funding, as the sport does not receive support from UK Sport.
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