Matildas’ Olympic campaign receives major boost after landing six-figure cash windfall

THE Matildas have been rewarded for their success during the Rio Olympics qualifying tournament, landing a cash windfall that could propel them to Rio gold.

THE success of the Matildas has landed them a six-figure Olympic windfall, after the Australian Sports Commission agreed to fund a series of camps to prepare the team for the Rio Games.

As the team was waiting to hear who it would be drawn with at the Olympics in Rio, their brave qualifying display under Head Coach Alen Stajcic was rewarded with financial backing for five training camps in May and June, to be held at the AIS in Canberra.

The Daily Telegraph understands the ASC will make about $140,000 available under the discretionary Winning Edge program designed to fund athletes seen as having a genuine chance of wining medals at the Olympics.

The Matildas after qualifying for Rio.

The Matildas’ results at the qualifying tournament in Japan in March, where they won four games and drew one out of five, saw them rise to be ranked fifth in the world - and of the four above them only three will be in Rio, with England not competing.

The money, which is effectively a bonus of more than 10% on the grant of just over $1m the Matildas receive from the ASC annually, comes on top of Football Federation Australia’s plans to play twin friendly matches in June, likely against New Zealand, and then hold intensive training camps in July before the Games in August.

The news has been met with huge relief by the Matildas squad, especially the domestic-based players who have no competitive football currently to keep fit, and comes after FFA controversially decided against holding a camp and two games in the April international window.

Twenty nine of the squad have also received direct grants from the ASC under its Direct Athlete Incentive Scheme, a total sum that has more than doubled to $330,000 since the team’s outstanding performance at the World Cup last year.

The $140,000 to fund the camps will pay for accommodation and living expenses plus the extensive travel costs of bringing players interstate to the AIS. It remains to be seen how many of the 10 or so players based overseas would be released by their clubs, but the camps are seen as designed predominantly for the majority based here.

“Everything about the AIS is first-class,” said Stajcic. “The pitches, the sports science, the recovery facilities and the accommodation create the perfect environment to do the work and planning we need before Rio.

Matildas head coach Alen Stajcic is excited about training at the AIS.

“On behalf of the players and staff, I thank the ASC and the AIS for this commitment. This gives the squad 21 days of top quality preparation together. The pressure comes from our own expectations of being on the podium in Rio. The support from the ASC and AIS is another boost to us.”

AIS Director Matt Favier described the Matildas as “one of the great growth stories in Australian sport over the past year”, adding: “Their effort to make the quarter-finals of last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup was inspiring and grabbed the nation’s attention, but they have continued to improve and establish themselves as a truly world-class outfit.

“Their undefeated Rio Games qualifying campaign in Osaka in March, overcoming World Cup runners-up Japan on their home turf, shows how far the Matildas have progressed.

“The AIS is a regular home to the Matildas and we’re proud to continue supporting them on their journey. Alen Stajcic’s squad deserves the very best preparation to keep pushing forward and to capitalise on their medal potential in Rio.”

Originally published as Matildas’ Olympic campaign receives major boost after landing six-figure cash windfall