Crisis-hit UK Athletics in fresh storm over allocation of vital funding to athletes

UK Athletics have come under fresh fire over their distribution of funding to athletes.

The governing body named 67 athletes on their World-Class Programme on Monday, with each taking between £10,000 and £28,000 in support from the National Lottery.

However, a number of coaches have questioned the process behind the allocation of the money, with one flagging that their athlete was not given a performance review prior to their funding decision. 

According to the coach, this contradicted an email from the performance director Sara Symington on September 17.

The coach told Sportsmail: ‘My understanding is that end of season reviews are always meant to be done prior to the selection meeting. It is an opportunity for athlete and coach to raise any information they may want fed into that meeting. Can you really claim a process is informed and robust without those meetings?’

The latest criticisms come at a time when multiple senior athletes are bitterly disillusioned with the way UKA is being run, including the performance hierarchy, which is rebuilding after their worst Olympics since 1996.

Coach Andy Young (above) has been axed despite Laura Muir’s success in Tokyo

There has been immense disharmony on the coaching side, with cash-strapped UKA telling all coaches on consultancy deals in September their positions were being terminated on September 30. 

Bizarrely, the casualties of that manoeuvre included Andy Young, despite the Scot leading Laura Muir to an Olympic silver medal. 

Sportsmail understands he was contacted by CEO Joanna Coates on September 11 and told he would receive a new deal, but remains in the dark five weeks on.