10 Dec 2009
Today’s welcome announcement from UK Sport on the allocation of extra funding for British athletes and sport has still left some disappointed. It has emphasised that there is still a shortfall in funding if we are to give our athletes the best hope at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Athlete representative body, The British Athletes Commission (BAC) is working to highlight the massive opportunities that exist for business and individuals to support the nation's elite athletes.
Recent initiatives such as the Olympic sponsors orientated Team 2012 are making significant headway, but with many of the nation's elite athletes embarking on sporting journeys they may not have the funding to compete, the BAC are keen to help prepare the athletes for the big event and enable them to focus on their sporting ambitions.
The athletes are working with the BAC to provide fundraising opportunities to enable sports loving businesses and individuals to support the athletes.
Zac Purchase, Rowing Olympic Gold Medallist at Beijing, says: “We are all very proud to be able to represent our country in our disciplines but when faced with injury or legal issues we have very little support. The BAC offers us a safety net and we incredibly grateful to all those that support us, especially with 2012 on the horizon.”
Individuals and businesses who chose to financially support the athletes are each presented with an Elite Reward Package and are updated directly on the athletes progress during the year.
As BAC CEO Pete Gardner, explained, this is a fantastic opportunity to generate a tangible bond between athletes, business and individuals. "We offer an affordable way for individuals and businesses to directly support our athletes and wear the BAC badge with pride. Each individual will also receive an Elite Reward Package enabling both businesses and employees to save money.”
In a further boost to business, the BAC's Elite Reward Packages provide free of charge marketing platforms for retail, tourism and leisure businesses to generate business for themselves, enabling EVERY business to benefit.
Details on the Elite Reward packages on offer can be found at www.britishathletes.org where you click to Pledge Your Support!
For more information or images to accompany this release contact Johanna Whitaker or Kate Godber at Promote PR on 01628 630363 or email kate@promotepr.com or johanna@promotepr.com
Editors Notes:
The BAC is a not for profit organisation currently majority funded by UK Sport. Money raised by the Athletes Affinity Club will go towards covering the operating costs of the organisation, (freeing the UK Sport money to go back to the World Class Programme.)
Any excess will go directly to the athletes working in the Affinity Scheme (20%) and to UK Sport to be distributed within the World Class Programme. Our project does have the flexibility for increasing support to individual athletes at the behest of certain companies.
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