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About Us: Funded Pathway Activities

The GBR Pathway Programme is the programme that delivers all the activities designed to support GBR athletes moving up the pathway to Olympic success. As such it is responsible for enabling access to and/or delivering a number of individually funded projects and programmes in many cases funded by different organisations.  Funding sources includes – England DiSE, Sport England ‘Talent‘, UK Sport and athlete contribution costs.

(For more information about UK Sport Funding and how it supports the work done by BF, click here.)

Pathway Athletes

The current athlete contribution is £280 (26-27). The remaining costs are covered by Sport England and UK Sport.

In return, all Pathway athletes benefit from the following:

  • Training Camps (10 days) (accommodation and travel costs covered by athlete)
  • Access to athlete education and resources
  • GBR Coaches and staff provide face-to-face support with Individual Athlete Development Plans
  • Access to online sessions such as performance analysis, female health
  • Access to the Diploma in Sporting Excellence  programme (DiSE)
  • Discounted/free GBR clothing eg tracksuits
  • Discounted Coach and Referee courses
  • Subsidised coaching and administrative (eg Team Management) support and team entry fees at Major (European & World) Championships. Typically around £60K per year is spent on supporting athletes competing at European and World Championships, but this varies depending on location.
  • Access to and support with relevant funding applications e.g. TASS, Backing the Best (eligibility criteria varies, see here)

For more information about the Pathway, click here.

In addition, and by age group, the Pathway also provides:

Cadets: Coaches supporting team days at EFC U17s, Subsidised refereeing and administrative (eg Team Management) support at nominated EFC U17 events

Juniors: Coaches (supporting Pathway athletes and GBR team events) at identified FIE U20 World Cups, Subsidised refereeing and administrative (eg Team Management) support at nominated FIE U20 World Cups

U23s:  Coaches (supporting Pathway athletes and GBR team events) at identified U23 events

Seniors: Coaches (supporting Pathway athletes and GBR team events) at identified Senior World Cups

In addition, and by performance/trajectory to Olympic medal success

2028 Medal: BF is currently working with UK Sport to assess the programme needs of athletes with a demonstrable trajectory, intention and motivation to achieving medal success in 2028 and identify whether additional funding (including APAs) can be accessed to support these athletes. Athletes who previously received APAs as part of WCP funding (prior to the programme closing in March 2017) will likely not be eligible to receive APAs as part of this. This is because the funding available is intended to support athletes entering the performance system for the first time.

2032 Medal: Athletes with a demonstrable trajectory, intention and motivation to achieving medal success in 2032 will have their development needs assessed as part of our ‘Progression’ funded work and where there are opportunities to accelerate progress these may be supported or subsidised by BF (See here). This could include support for ‘stretch’ competitions or training camps.

For more information about the funding we receive from UK Sport please click here.

For more information about how we use the income we received from members please click here.

Last updated 13 Jul 2026