Athletics: The long-running saga surrounding this year's high performance grant aid is set to end today when the Irish Sports Council announces the outcome of the appeals submitted by 38 athletes across 11 different sports.

The independent appeals committee will conclude their hearings this afternoon, after which the Sports Council are expected to inform the relevant athletes of any change in their grant status.

Leading athletes such as Sonia O'Sullivan, James Nolan and Karen Shinkins had their grant aid cut completely for 2005, but had their appeals heard last Monday week. Nolan, who is currently training in South Africa, was represented by acting barrister Patrick McCann.

European indoor 400 metres champion David Gillick also appealed the grant awards as part of the Irish relay quartet: "We all felt it went quite well," he said yesterday.

While the three-man appeals committee of Bobby Begley, Maurice Ahern and Seán McCague have yet to finalise their decision, it is understood several athletes left the appeals hearing confident some grant aid would be restored.

O'Sullivan received the world class 1 grant last year (worth €30,500) but was told this time around she would get nothing.