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The problem: Canadas Paralympic team performed well below expectations two years ago during the Summer Games in London. One possible solution: targeting events that attract the severely disabled and have weaker entry fields, giving Canada a chance to boost its medal count. Savvy tactic or "shameful" sportsmanship? Own The Podium, Canadas high-performance sport funding initiative, is suggesting Canadian Paralympic officials target athletes who participate in sports for the severely disabled, a strategy that could boost Canadas faltering Paralympic medal count but one that is leaving some sports marketing executives and athletes suggesting officials are using a "back door" to get more medals. The suggestion by Own The Podium officials was disclosed in documents obtained by TSN under Canadas Access to Information laws and comes after a performance by the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams in London thats described by Canadian officials as disappointing. The documents include email correspondence, post-Games briefings and audits that dissect Canadas performance at the 2012 Summer Games in London and suggest that during the lead-up to the next Olympic Games in Rio in two years, Canada is paring the number of sports and athletes it funds through the Own The Podium program. The documents were produced by Own the Podium in late 2012 and were shared with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees as well as the federal government. They highlight how Canadian officials have dropped the "please like us" veneer in favour of a more cutthroat approach to competition. Created in 2005, the Own the Podium program has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into Canadas quest for medals, focusing on athletes who are predicted to have a top-three finish. In Vancouver, the program garnered widespread approval after Team Canada won 14 gold medals, tops among countries, after having been shut out of golds in the prior two Olympic Games held in Canada. In one document titled, "Confidential initial reflections from 2012 Paralympic Games," Own The Podium officials wrote Canada "took a significant step back relative to other leading nations" at the London Paralympic Games. Canada secured seven gold medals at London, half as many as Own the Podium staff had predicted for the Canadian team, according to the Oct. 4, 2012, document. "Other nations have adopted a much more professional approach in many para-sports," the document says. "There is some complacency within some para-sports in Canada. "Canada struggles with entries in events for classes with more severely disabled athletes," the document says. "Many nations appear to have targeted performance in events for female athletes with a disability… Consider strategic investments that support potential multi-gold individual athletes and events with weak depth of field such as events for athletes with severe disabilities and some events for female athletes." Own the Podium has cut funding to several Paralympic sports following London, including womens wheelchair basketball (which received a total of $986,000 in 2009-10 and 2010-11 but has not received funding since the 2012 Games) and womens goalball. Equestrians funding was also cut drastically. Still, Own The Podium has increased its funding in the Paralympics to triathlon, canoe-kayak and archery and overall, its Paralympic funding has totaled $10.1 million in the first two years of the Rio 2016 quadrennial, up from $9.4 million during the first two years of the London quadrennial. One of the documents conclusions has been censored by the Canadian government, which cited the confidentiality of a third party. The tactic of targeting sports for the severely disabled is polarizing. "On one hand, the outcome (support for a worth cause) is good," said Mike Gilleran, executive director of the Santa Clara Universitys sports law and ethics department. "On the other, the motive, lets kick ass in this weaker depth of field for the glory of Canada is probably not the most inspirational call to arms weve ever heard." Andy Harkness, a sports marketing executive in Toronto whose clients include Canadian Tire and Scotiabank, said he doesnt like the strategy. "We shouldnt prop up our medal counts on the back of lesser known sports and athletes," Harkness said. "The rub to me is that it sounds like we are using severely disabled athletes to prop up numbers and that doesnt sound right." Jeff Adams, a Canadian Paralympian and six-time world champion in wheelchair sports, called Own The Podiums tactic "shameful." "How are the underpinnings of this document reconciled with the spirit of sport and all the motherhood and apple pie messages about not winning at all costs?" Adams told TSN. "When that win at all costs mentality is layered with win the easy medals at all costs, it becomes doubly wrong," he said. "Chasing after easy things is certainly not what sport taught me, and this sends a terrible message to athletes and to Canadians. Im embarrassed this document was created." Own The Podium chief executive Anne Merklinger said the tactic has nothing to do with cutting financial support to athletes who already are receiving help. "Its not a question of narrowing the focus," she said in an interview. "Its a question of focusing on athletes that have severe disabilities because when you look at the international scene, there are very few entries from nations in categories of athletes that have severe disabilities. That is a strategic opportunity. If Canada is able to identify athletes with severe disabilities, that is a medal opportunity for our country."Martin Richard, a spokesperson with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, said he attended a conference in 2012 when Merklinger disclosed the suggested tactic. "These were early observations," Richard said. "I understand (the concerns.) Its the language. Its direct. Theres no rationale behind it, and it opens it up for interpretation." Bob Stellick, a Toronto sports marketer, suggested Own The Podiums suggestion is a sign of the times. "It sounds harsh but really does mimic what (Canadas Olympic teams) were doing at the regular Olympics," Stellick said. "They definitely focused on more obscure and limited talent pool sports." Own The Podium also noted in the confidential documents that able-bodied Canadian Olympic teams in rowing, cycling and diving also underperformed--at a time when around the world, "escalating investment in Olympic medals has turned into an arms race." There was a "shallow pool of podium potential athletes," Merklingers group said in a Sept. 17, 2012, memo. "Anticipate that fewer sports will be targeted for 2016." Since London, Own The Podium has cut funding on the able bodied side to mens wrestling, fencing, gymnastics. Sports that have received an increase in funding include archery, tennis and womens rugby. Chad Thomas Browns Jersey . - Buffalo Bills running back C. Jarvis Landry Browns Jersey . Jackson Houck added a goal and two assists for the Giants (28-23-10), who halted a five-game slide, while Tyler Morrison, Mason Geertsen and Dominik Volek each scored once. 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Jarvis Landry Jersey .Murray has played 20 matches in five weeks, winning three titles to climb to fifth in the ATP Race.The two-time Grand Slam champion also seeks to qualify for next months ATP World Tour Finals.Murray said: I always wanted to qualify for it, but also I want to get back into the top 8 players in the world and it makes a huge difference for seedings in the major events.SANTA CLARA, Calif. - San Francisco left tackle Joe Staley thinks sacks can be a deceiving statistic and he points to St. Louis right defensive end Robert Quinn as an example.Quinn set the Rams franchise record with 19 sacks last year. The fourth-year veteran has yet to record a sack this season. In fact, rookie defensive tackle Aaron Donald has the Rams only sack.Numbers dont tell the whole story, said Staley, who will be lining up against Quinn most of the time Monday night in St. Louis. He looks pretty good. He has a fast first step and uses his speed to his advantage. Hes also added to his change of movement.Quinn has drawn extra attention this year, especially with defensive end Chris Long out with an injury. Just dont tell Staley that Quinn is not as effective as he has been.Theyre pass rush is very good, he said. Those numbers are misleading when it comes to sacks. Theres pressure, theres hits and there is just being disruptive.Quinn has nine quarterback hits and five quarterback pressures this season, an indication hes getting penetration. The Rams also own the best pass defence in the league.When you watch the tape, the quarterback is getting rid of the ball or something happens or he just dishes it, its just getting out of his hand, 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman said. We will not be lulled into that trap because all youve got to do is watch the film. (Quinn) is playing better than he did last year.Staley anchors an offensive line that has been in flux early in the season, with a few setbacks leading to personnel changes. The line has gotten better and Staley said they played their best game Sunday in a win over the Kansas City Chiefs.ddddddddddddWe made great strides, especially in the running game, he said. The other stuff we just have to deal with. Last week was a good building block.This weeks trip to St. Louis begins a stretch of road contests in four of the next five weeks.Any time you are on the road is a challenge because of the crowd noise, Staley said. Were good at the silent count and we trust our centre to snap the ball at the right time.Wide receiver Anquan Boldin thinks its even more than dealing with the noise.Its a chance to see what were made of, Boldin said. Its a chance to see what kind of players we are. On the road, we take an us against the world mentality. We play our best when we feel that way.Boldin criticized the officiating the last time the 49ers were on the road: a loss at the Arizona Cardinals. He has no complaints about the officials the past two weeks at home.Its been fair the last two weeks, he said. Maybe were getting better officiating crews. All I wanted to say was that whether you call a bad game or a great game, just call it the same both ways.NOTES: The 49ers signed WR Kassim Osgood to a one-year deal. To make room on the roster, the team has released QB Josh Johnson. Osgoods been released and resigned three times this year. .. Defensive co-ordinator Vic Fangio said CB Perrish Cox has blossomed this season. Hes got good instincts as a corner. This is his first opportunity, at least with us, to have extended action as a corner. Hes taken full advantage of it. ... Boldin has six career 100-yard games against the Rams, his most against any team. 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