Tokyo Olympics 2021: Which Australian sports are set for funding boost?

The Tokyo Olympics aren’t even over but already the battle has begun to secure more funding from the Australian government.

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.

This comes as the Australian Commonwealth Games Federation is in talks with the New South Wales government to host a 2026 Commonwealth Games, which could provide a timely experience and athlete competition in readiness for the Brisbane Olympics.

“This is the opportunity to reset the relationship between the sports industry and government,’’ said AOC chief executive Matt Carroll, detailing a 54 page report co-authored with the Commonwealth Games Federation into how the government can invest in the sports industry up until 2042

“This is what sport can do for the country whether it’s with mental health or dealing with the obesity issue, which is going to cost far more than the covid pandemic.’’

The AOC and Commonwealth Games submission, on behalf of 42 sports, has been well received by the Federal government and Carroll is now nutting out the final costings to submit by the end of September.

“While we have agreed with the Sports Commission’s 2030 plan, it just has never been properly funded. To do that is to redefine sports investment so it operates like any other business,’’ Carroll said.

“Sport will come in with a business plan which would cover their entire operation - from participation to performance, like you would have to present to a bank to get an investment.”

Sports have long argued that they have been underfunded in real terms since the halcyon days of the Sydney Olympics - this year to the tune of nearly $60m.

Australia Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll says the fight for sports funding begins now. Picture: Josh Woning

The Federal minster for sport Richard Colbeck says Canberra gives sport $480m over four years and is looking at other ways to fund sport rather than to “whack the taxpayer”.

This includes looking to boost philanthropic donations from the current $50m a year to levels of the arts, around $300m a year.

“We are trying to find more ways of doing this rather than tapping the taxpayer,’’ he said.

The triumph of the Tokyo Olympics - one of the the most successful outside of a home Games - coupled with being awarded the Brisbane Games in 11 years has given the AOC more clout in helping the Australian Sports Commission drive its own 2030 sports plan and argue for longer term funding certainty.

Previously sports have been unable to plan for the medium to long term, and struggled to retain coaches and sports scientists because funding was only guaranteed for a year or two.

The past 17 days has given Australians a sense of optimism during the darkest days of lockdowns and the Olympics have helped inspire a new generation to get off the couch.

It’s not just funding elite sport that Carroll is pushing. He wants the government to invest across the entire sports industry, drawing in education, construction and infrastructure, driving tourism and jobs through pitching for major sporting events.

“We are not saying give us money and we’ll go win some medals. We are saying invest in the sports industry , we can grow the pathways of sport and grow the performance,’’ he said.

Could volleyball be up for more funding after Australia performed beyond expectations? Picture: Getty Images

‘Having a strong sporting nation on the world stage you can attract international sporting events to Australia, and there you drive jobs, drive investment and income for hotels and hospitality at large, and its not only the airline industry that needs to get going again.’’

Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive Craig Phillips said the submission highlighted the role sports can play in helping the government save money in future health bills but driving a more active healthy nation and help people deal with mental stress and isolation.

The Gold Coast 2018 Games showed long lasting benefits for the community beyond the fortnight of competition, including new facilities, housing and jobs