Australian athletes given $115m funding boost through to 2022

A row between sporting bodies over how to carve up taxpayer funding during the global pandemic has ended in agreement after the promise of $115m.

Australia's swimmers have been given a massive funding boost for the next two years. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Anxious Australian athletes have been guaranteed over $100 million in extra funding to prepare for major international events over the next two years, ending a spat between officials over how to carve up public money or cash-strapped sports during the global pandemic.

Under the new agreement, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will provide more than $115 million to Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports for the 2021-22 financial year.

Most sports will receive close to their existing levels, with swimming once again the biggest beneficiary at almost $12 million, but the biggest increase is for Paralympic sports, which will get a $3 million raise, up 40% since 2012.

“These are merit-based investments reflecting the achievements of our Paralympic athletes,” Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Chair John Wylie said. “But they are also further recognition of how they inspire our nation.”

The $115 million boost comes on top of the funds already committed to the end of the 2020-21 financial year but is being handed over early after the postponement of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games so sports can start planning for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Longer term funding for the lead up to the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics will be revealed at the end of 2021.

“We’re in a unique situation where this current Games cycle has extended to five years, so we will only have three years between Tokyo and Paris” AIS chief executive Peter Conde said.

“In the meantime, by giving sports high performance funding certainty through to June 2022, we are giving sports and athletes the best possible chance to succeed on the world stage at major upcoming international events.”

The new funding announcement has been welcomed by Australia’s three peak sporting bodies, who last month called on the federal government to intervene in a row with the AIS over how to carve up the funds.

As exclusively revealed by The Daily Telegraph, Australia’s Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games committees had accused the AIS of breaking their promise on an agreement that helped secure an extra $50 million of taxpayer’s money, but all have backed the new funding plan.

“We believe this is a significant moment in the evolution of Paralympic sport in Australia,” Paralympics Australia President Jock O’Callaghan said.

“We are proud and thankful that the Federal Government recognises the value and impact of growing investment into Paralympic sport and has entrusted us with greater responsibility to lead and grow our movement even further.”

Commonwealth Games Australia President Ben Houston also praised the announcement.

“Our sports now have certainty through to Birmingham and can confidently prepare their athletes for the Games in 2022,” he said.

“Para-sport is fully integrated at the Commonwealth Games, and Birmingham will see the biggest program in Games history, so the funding boost will help our para-sport athletes immensely.”

Federal sports Minister Richard Colbeck, who had earlier said that the government would not interfere in how the funding was distributed, commended the sporting bodies for reaching an agreement.

“The funding decisions of the Australian Sports Commission strike a balance in providing

certainty and flexibility as athletes look ahead to the Paris 2024 Olympics,” Minister Colbeck

said.

The Daily Telegraph

Top five funded sports for 2021-22

Swimming $11,815,670

Cycling $10,080,826

Athletics $9,282,326

Rowing $9,004,150

Sailing $7,986,000

(AIS investment direct to Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports for 2021-22)