NEWS FEATURE Germany to reform elite sport in bid to reverse decline By Barry Whelan, dpa

Germany‘s waning performances at Olympic Games have prompted authorities to reform the nation‘s elite sports set-up. More government support will go to potential medals winners, while some sports will see funds cut.Berlin (dpa) - Germany is to reform its elite sport structures to target and support potential Olympic medallists after the Rio Games saw the nation leave empty-handed in several sports.The German Olympic Sports Association DOSB proposes streamlining the nation‘s Olympic bases from 19 to 13, while a new financial model could mean some sports which have failed to produce winners seeing their funding reduced considerably or cut completely.In a new funding plan, more support will be channelled towards potential winners with a more centrally-structured model for high-performance sport in a bid to reverse a steady decline at the Olympics."Germany should be successful, but fair and clean," Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, whose ministry helps finance the country‘s sport bases, said after draft reforms were presented to the German parliament‘s sports committee.The plan also envisages upgrading the role of coaches while an expert group will scrutinise the 130 winter and summer Olympic sports disciplines to identify medal prospects.At present money is distributed to the various national sports federations for their discretionary use, but it is hoped the new scheme will be more efficient in targeting and promoting potential winners.The interior ministry could increase the 160 million euros (179.5 million dollars) it pays annually for elite sport once agreement has been reached on the new model, however some sports will see financial aid reduced.German sport is reacting to dwindling medals yields at Olympics since reunification in 1990 and the feeling it can no longer compete with the world‘s best in many disciplines.At the Rio Games, Germany‘s swimmers, fencers and road cyclists went completely without medals, while the team of 423 athletes garnered 42 medals - below a target of 44 and 40 fewer than Barcelona in 1992.The new scheme would see each sport discipline split into three groups, with the highest financial sport given to so-called clusters of excellence. A second group of disciplines with medals potential will see reduced financial backing while a third group will comprise sports disciplines unlikely to produce medals and which could see financial support slashed.DOSB president Alfons Hoermann said: "The results in Rio with 17 golds did not encourage us to let things carry on us they were, but to prepare for success for the next decade."The reforms have been welcomed by some leading athletes and former athletes, however others have expressed reservations.Former world-class swimmer Franziska van Almsick, was among those who welcomed the plans.Speaking in Playa Granada, Spain, where leading German summer and winter athletes have gathered for an event and holiday week, Van Almsick said: "It is important that the best athletes train with each other. You have to beat the competition in your own country...Anyone who cannot stand the pressure in their own country won‘t be able to stand up to it an Olympics."Nordic combined Olympic champion Eric Frenzel said young talent "will have the opportunity of good financial help and will have a better chance of winning medals."However canoe Olympic champion Max Hoff, 34, said he probably would have "fallen through the system" as a canoeist whose talent would not have been recognized when he was younger."You shouldn‘t write off young athletes too early," he said.Olympic diving medallist Patrick Hausding also said he hoped the reforms would not lead to talents being lost."In diving there are are many athletes who weren‘t very good in younger years, who then later explode performance-wise," he said.Sports federations will now meet in Frankfurt on October 18 to discuss the plans, with the parliamentary sports committee to debate the proposals the following day.