Manly’s VolleyFest loses funding, as Volleyball Australia president, slams Destination NSW
Manly is set to lose its world standing as the ‘home of volleyball in Australia’ after a decision was made to cut funding for an Olympic beach volleyball qualifying event — and there are fears over what impact it will have on athletes.
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A shock decision by Destination NSW to cut all funding for Australia’s premier beach volleyball competition has left athletes fearing they may not qualify for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.
The axing — or at best significant downgrade – of the 10-day VolleyFest on Manly Beach could cost the northern beaches economy $1.6 million in revenue.
VolleyFest has been running at Manly for five years.
Over that time it has become an international qualifying event, used as a pathway for both Australian and overseas athletes.
The last-minute decision by Destination NSW not to contribute $400,000 for the competition in February will mean the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball – or FIVB – qualifier will not go ahead in Manly as scheduled.
Athletes have said they may now struggle to gain enough points for Tokyo 2020.
Some of the small competitions, such as the junior contest, wrapped around the FIVB qualifier may still go ahead as part of a significantly downgraded event next year.
Volleyball Australia president, Craig Carracher today slammed Destination NSW’s funding cut as “myopic” and an “embarrassment”.
Mr Carracher said it was “extraordinary and will directly impact on the qualification ambitions of our Olympic teams”.
He also said it was a tragedy for Manly which would lose its world standing as the “home of volleyball in Australia”.
He said last year’s event attracted 10 Olympians.
“To be advised now that Destination NSW support the event but won’t fund it after the event was confirmed as part of the Olympic preparation and qualification program is embarrassing and damaging to Australia, NSW as a major events host and our athletes and coaches.”
Volleyball Australia CEO Andrew Dee said over the last five years the event had been held on the northern beaches with Manly being the “perfect cultural fit”.
He said the competition “brings an enormous level of recognition and economic benefit to the northern beaches of Sydney from around Australia and overseas”.
Last year it attracted around 60,000 spectators and more than 25,000 out of area visitors.
Meanwhile, Australia’s leading beach volleyballers said they were concerned about qualifying for next year’s Olympics.
Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy, ranked third in the world, said they will now have to rethink their campaign in the lead up to Tokyo and may have to travel overseas to find a similar event.
Volleyball Australia high performance manager John Boultbee said the decision will unsettle the players and will rob the next generation of athletes the opportunity to see their heroes play at home against the world’s best.
Mr Carracher said: “The funding agencies must sort themselves out, must set clear transparent priorities and must be accountable for how they allocate tax payers events funding.”
He said he was now scrambling around asking other state’s for emergency funding to host the qualifying event, but feared it was too late to organise.
Destination NSW said a four-year additional funding commitment made by the NSW Government to the agency for VolleyFest had expired and the event could not be accommodated in this year’s events budget.
Manly MP James Griffin said it was a shame that VolleyFest won’t be back in Manly for 2020.
“The State Government has funded VolleyFest for a number of years now alongside the Council to deliver the event,” he said.
“Being a national sport and hopefully an Olympic medal opportunity, it would be great to explore whether the Federal Government and more corporate support could come on board to back our volleyball players and fund a future event in Manly.
“We have a busy events schedule in Manly and I’d love to see volleyball continue to be part of the mix.”
