£100m funding gap 'will stop GB finishing fourth'

British Olympics chiefs fear Team GB may not achieve its medal targets in 2012 as a result of a funding shortfall expected to be confirmed tomorrow.

As much as £100million in private sector investment out of a £600million pledge to the Olympic team has failed to materialise.

Ministers are preparing to reduce the current shortfall from £79million to £60million. The BOA reckons that would only be sufficient to finish eighth in the table, instead of the target of fourth.

Ten Olympic sports face losing elite funding after a meeting of UK Sport.

They include hockey, basketball, fencing, handball, shooting, table tennis, volleyball, waterpolo, weightlifting and wrestling.