Sports chief blasts ‘absurd’ call by ABC to ditch Olympics

The Australian Sports Commission has labelled the ABC’s decision not to broadcast the Tokyo Olympics ‘absurd’.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose. Picture: AAP

Australian Sports Commission chairman John Wylie has labelled the ABC’s decision not to broadcast the Tokyo Olympics “absurd” given the public broadcaster receives public funding of more than $1bn a year.

In a furious letter to ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose obtained by The Australian, Mr Wylie described the Olympics as “the pinnacle of sporting competition and achievement” and pointed to Australia as “a proud sporting country”, saying “the efforts and achievement of our athletes at an Olympic Games are a matter of great interest and significance”.

“We urge you — do the right thing by the country, and broadcast the Games for the benefit of all, on its traditional and public funded home, ABC radio.”

The Australian revealed last week the ABC would stop Olympic radio coverage after seven decades, citing budget constraints forced by the freeze in indexation of ABC funding.

However, many in the market suspect the decision to cease broadcasting the Olympics is a tactic by the ABC to generate publicity and force a backflip from the Morrison government on its funding decision.

Mr Wylie dismissed the ABC’s attempt to use funding as an excuse to cut the coverage, pointing to the hundreds of millions in public funding going to athletes and the ABC’s budget of more than $1bn a year.

“The AIS has invested, on behalf of Australians, approximately $500m of public money over the past four years” preparing Olympians for Tokyo, Mr Wylie wrote to Ms Buttrose.

“It seems absurd that the national public broadcaster, also funded by public money, cannot at the end of this find $1m in its $1bn annual budget to allow Australians to listen to events.”

The Australian Olympics Committee has also demanded a meeting with Ms Buttrose.

In the letter sent to Ms Buttrose on Friday, Wylie also cites Australia’s obesity levels and says Olympic athletes serve an example to “motivate and inspire our youth to be active and lead healthy lifestyles”.

“The Olympic Games have also become one of the best platforms for the demonstration of the abilities of our female athletes, who have won more than half the medals for Australia in the last two Olympics.”