THERE has been no direct government injection of funding for Jamaica’s team to the Olympics since 1996, although the country benefits significantly from the worldwide recognition of its athletes’ stellar performances at the games.

First vice-president of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and chef de mission for the team to five games so far, Don Anderson, said although the Government has not offered any financial support, it has assisted in “paving the way” for the delegation.

“We can go on record as saying that from a perspective of direct financial support we probably have not had that since 1996 when we went to Atlanta,” Anderson told reporters and editors at this week’s Observer Monday Exchange at the newspaper’s head offices in Kingston.

According to Anderson, the Government has, however, been fully behind the JOA.

“One has to appreciate that government’s coffers are depleted, and therefore one has to prioritise between spending money on Olympics or something else,” he said.

And given that the Olympic movement provides a fair amount of what is needed to assist the delegation in getting to the games, Anderson said there is less reason for the Government to foot the bill.

He explained further that in an Olympic year the bulk of the expenses would have been taken care of by the Olympic movement.

Subsequent to the Los Angeles games in 1984, Anderson said an Olympic Solidarity Commission was set up to plough money back into Olympic committees around the world.

Out of the Olympics Solidarity Commission there are provisions made for travel for the athletes and the officials and there is no cost associated with accommodation in the Olympic Village.

“For Olympic Games the cost is in the investment of the administrators here in preparing the team, but we are even provided with assistance for preparation of athletes which have to be accountable,” he said.

There are, however, provisions for preparation grants for individuals and teams, the cost of which is borne by the Olympic movement to a large extent.