Paralympic sports, such as wheelchair rugby and goal ball, will also be eligible for the scheme, which is designed to help athletes from more sports to qualify for Tokyo 2020 and beyond.
Tracey Crouch, the minister for sport and civil society, said the fund, which amounts to £3m in total, would enable more athletes the chance to inspire the nation.
“UK Sport investment has transformed Britain into an Olympic and Paralympic powerhouse,” she said. “But there are sports, not on UK Sport’s world-class programme, that do a huge amount of good in communities that we can help on their path to the podium.”
Liz Nicholl, the chief executive of UK Sport, called it a “fantastic opportunity” for more sports to get on track for the Tokyo Games.
She said: “Many of the sports we are unable to support, while further away from reaching the podium, have great potential not only to inspire through their performances but also to have a social impact in communities across the UK.”
Table-tennis, skateboarding, handball and baseball/softball are also expected to apply for the scheme. To receive funding, which will run until the end of the Tokyo 2020 cycle, sports will have to convince the government they will engage and inspire communities.
The announcement was given a cautious welcome by David Pond, the chief executive of GB wheelchair rugby, which lost all of its UK Sport funding after finishing fifth at Rio 2016. “Any additional funding will obviously help us,” he said, “but the reality is next year I need to raise £400,000 to help us prepare us properly for the 2020 Paralympics.”
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