Sporting codes face funding dilemma

New Zealand judokas, from left, Adrian Leat, Moira De Villiers, Jason Koster and Tim Slyfield. Judo is a good example of the dilemma sports can face. Photo / Greg Bowker

Sports codes will apply to the government sports funding agency for support this year.

Those who were in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games will have their performances assessed closely.

Five sports on the Games programme have received no funding over the years since the London Olympics in 2012, according to the High Performance Sport investment table - gymnastics, judo, table tennis, wrestling and badminton.

The other 12 have pocketed $40.6 million in the same period, with Bike NZ the leading beneficiary to the tune of $11.5 million.

But what of those on the "outer"? The likes of table tennis and badminton haven't helped their case, while swimming and triathlon are due to face a frowning paymaster.

Judo is a good example of the dilemma sports can face.

Their representatives collected five medals in Glasgow, three bronze and two silver, a top-class - and possibly unexpected - return. No doubt the sport has earned some financial assistance.

But its problem is that judo is not on the 2018 Games programme on the Gold Coast.

New Zealand's standards will still lag on the world stage alongside the sport's heavy hitters. So how does judo go about getting support?

It must present a case for a grant for a specific or targeted event, say a world championship.

Whether it gets it will come down to a check whether judo performances in Glasgow can equate to improvements at the highest international level.

If judo wins its argument, and performs at that targeted event, things can look up.

If judo still gets nothing later this year, it will feel aggrieved. It's a tough school and there are inevitably tears.

Triathlon received $3.6 million in the past two years; swimming $4.04 million.

Neither sport can claim Glasgow was a resounding success, therefore they will both be twitchy come assessment time.