Published on 10/24/2009

UK SPORT has taken the rare step of giving a sport — in this case badminton — substantially more money than it requested, to ensure that the British Olympic performance director, Lars Sologub, stays. The quango has awarded an extra 50 per cent in funds to keep the Swede, who wanted to quit the job after the 2004 Olympics to spend more time in Gothenburg with his family.

UK Sport was not only impressed that Sologub guided Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms to a silver medal in Athens, the best badminton performance by Great Britain at an Olympics but also that every British player met or exceeded their personal targets.

06/10/05 - Badminton Funding Boost - Sologub stays after funding rise

“It's the first time in my life I have got more than I asked for,” Sologub said. UK Sport, which increased the requested £320,000 to £480,000, has had to make unusual concessions to keep Sologub. It is allowing him to direct operations while spending at least half his time in Sweden , although this will reduce sharply in the 18 months before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing . UK Sport has also insisted that Andy Wood — “the key to why we are so successful,” according to Sologub — be employed as his assistant part-time, giving the performance director more control over the England coach's services.

But not everyone believes Sologub's skills should be so sought after. “It's a terrible misuse of funding,” Anne Smillie, the chief executive of Badminton Scotland , said. “The UK has no chance of a medal at Beijing . The real chance is London 2012. That's what more funding should be directed to.”