§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether an instruction has been given to the British Sports Council that it should give very careful consideration as to whether financial aid should be made available to British athletes who decide to participate in the Moscow Olympic Games; and whether he intends that aid to the Sports Council may be withdrawn or reduced if it should not conform to Government policy regarding participation in the Games.
Mr. MorroNo instruction has been given to the Sports Council regarding financial aid to British athletes who decide to go to Moscow. Their costs are met from the British Olympic Association appeal fund to which no donation is made from public funds.
Should the appeal fund fail to reach its target, the BOA could be expected to ask the Sports Council to help towards the costs of air travel for athletes going to the Games. I have advised the Sports Council that there can be no post-Games grant for travel costs to and from Moscow.