Olympics funding model is not for the underdog

The nation-gripping Olympic performances, from the likes of Rohan Browning and Peter Bol, has people asking; does Australia have its sports funding backwards?

Peter Bol’s pursuit of an Olympic medal in the men’s 800m in Tokyo captivated Australia Picture: Alex Coppel

Peter Bol, a breakout star of the Tokyo Games, had received just $6000 in government funding before the Tokyo Olympics because his results were deemed o lack Olympic-dais potential.

While 3.04 million watched him cross the finish line in an electrifying fourth in the 800m, capturing the nations hearts in the process, there won’t be an Olympic medal bonus for him.

Then there’s the Flying Mullet. More than 3.1 million people watched 23-year-old law student Rohan Browning’s 100m semi-final – but government records show he hasn’t benefited from direct athlete funding. Zilch in fact.

Not finishing on the podium – in the lead up to an Olympics – can really cost an athlete. It’s not a funding-model that benefits the underdog or the athlete on the fringe of breaking through.

The gripping Olympic performances, from the likes of Browning and Bol, has people asking; does Australia have its sports funding backwards?

As it stands the government body Sport Australia gives out high performance funding based on criterion such as a “high probability” to win a gold at the next two Games. Athletes are nominated by their National Sporting Organisation (NSO) to receive an AIS grant if they: achieved a top eight position result at a recent world championship level event or demonstrate potential to achieve a podium result.

The Australian Olympic Committee also rewards those who place well in world championships in the lead up to Games (as well as finishing on the Olympic podium). It sees consistently outstanding athletes like Tokyo gold medallist Jessica Fox and superstar swimmer Emma McKeon financially rewarded from both Sport Australia and the AOC’s funding pools

But what about those on the edges? Not only Bol, Browning but the promising 200m sprinter Riley Day who has pocketed $1000 over her career in government funding and works at her local supermarket?

Rohan Browning’s run in the semi-finals of the 100m was the most watched Olympic event in Australia Picture: Getty Images

Over at Team GB – they are one of the few countries that do not reward athletes Olympic medal bonuses.

While Australian athletes are promised $20,000 for a gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze – and if you are Singaporean you can benefit from a million dollar payday – it doesn’t work that way if you are on Team GB.

UK Sport has always taken a different approach and the body, which distributes public and Lottery money to Olympic and Paralympic sports, says that it has no plans to adopt a bonus system.

A UK Sport spokesman told The Times: “UK Sport does not offer athletes a bonus but instead invests the resources it has in future potential, helping athletes on their journey to Olympic and Paralympic success. We are currently investing £385 million ($727m) to enable athletes across 57 sports to pursue success in Beijing (Winter Olympics, next year), Paris (Summer Olympics, 2024) and beyond.

“We believe that focusing our resources on supporting athletes before they reach the podium will break down financial barriers and increase the chances of success.”

It was reported last week that the Australian Olympic Committee is spearheading a fresh funding pitch to the Australian government for a “green and gold runway’’ of an extra $130m over four years to “appropriately invest in the sports industry” for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and the generation of athletes to follow afterwards.

Sports Minister Richard Colbeck told The Australian the Morrison Government’s investment in sports funding had been immense.

“This financial year alone we will spend more than $500 million on sport and recreation and in the 2021-22 Budget we announced an additional $245.8 million for sport over and above our regular sports funding commitments,” Minister Colbeck said in a statement.

“This funding includes an additional $136.3 million to support Australia’s high-performance system.”

“It offers security for our elite athletes as they look ahead to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, the Birmingham 2022, Commonwealth Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics.”
No doubt millions more will be poured into high performance sport as Brisbane 2032 creeps closer – the question for some remains; is it hitting the underdog athlete’s pocket when they most need it?