The 20-year-old from Birmingham, injured in a swimming pool accident four years which left him paralysed from the chest down, made his international debut earlier this year when he competed at a World Cup event in Szczecin, Poland, and returned home with a gold, silver and bronze medal.

But the Sandwell Primary Care Trust have now ruled that it cannot pay £1,500 flight and hotel costs of his medically-trained carer when he competes abroad.

Without that 24-hour care, Cockbill claims he is at risk from toxins building up his body which could cause his blood pressure to fatally soar.

"Sport is all Ryan has to live for," said Cockbill's mother, Karen.

"If they take this away from him, he’ll have nothing.

“Disabled people have a right to a life too.

“It’s discrimination."

But Andy Williams, the director of commissioning at Sandwell Primary Trust, defended their position.

"We have given this careful consideration," he said.

"Legally we are only able to pay for health-care costs.

"In this case, the flights and accommodation of Ryan’s carers are not healthcare costs and therefore can not be funded by the Primary Care Trust.

"We are, however, investigating other funding sources to try and help Ryan fulfill his Olympic [sic] ambitions."

In the meantime, Cockbill's mother has appealed to the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman.