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28 Oct 2010

With the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games now behind us it’s important to reflect on what is a significant event for Australian sport.

While there was a strong focus on security and infrastructure in the lead-up to the event, it was pleasing to see the Games go ahead and the Australian team perform so well.

For our Australian contingent, with many young athletes making their major event debuts, the Delhi multi-event experience will prove invaluable in their preparations for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The 177 medals, including 74 gold, won by Australian athletes is worth applauding and shows that the Commonwealth Games remain a valuable and important international event for all Australian sports involved.

It’s also important to acknowledge the ongoing Australian Government support of our elite athletes. In 2009–10 the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) provided Australian Government Sport Training Grants (AGSTG), to a total of 347 athletes involved in Commonwealth Games sports, worth $3 202 400. This was out of a total allocation of $4 806 540, which went to 546 elite athletes over that period.

As our focus now shifts towards London in 2012 more athletes will get greater financial support from an increased AGSTG scheme, with around 650 elite performers set to benefit from $7.4 million annually.

New funding grants to sporting organisations

Over recent weeks there has been some media commentary suggesting the ASC would retain between $7 and $10 million of the Government’s new sport funding injection of $48 million per year, to meet its own operating costs and that sports were thereby being denied access to greater funding support. This is incorrect and the commentary misses several important facts:

• The ASC is investing the lion’s share of the total extra funding to support the sport system through direct allocation to sporting organisations and a range of initiatives that will strengthen both high performance and participation programs. The remainder of the funds will be used by the Commission to ensure the successful delivery of these initiatives.
• While a large number of sports will benefit directly from new funding, many more will still receive important support through initiatives boosted by extra funds, such as:
• • assisting sports to build their capacity
  • expanding the range of online coaching and officiating courses
  • increasing athlete career and education servicing of Australia’s elite athletes
  • implementing women in sport and national sports volunteer awards
  • developing more online resources to assist paid and volunteer sports administrators.    
• The ASC will also allocate new funding to expand the number of athletes receiving direct financial support, and to increase their grants.

I want to assure all those involved in the sporting community that the Australian Government and the ASC are committed to investing in the sport system at all levels, from grassroots to elite.

The ASC will soon be announcing new participation funding allocations to sports. This will see a total investment of $18 million per annum over four years to increase sports participation, including direct allocation to sports and support for initiatives such as Indigenous sport, sport for people with disability, sport for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women’s sport development programs.

We remain committed to working in tandem with all system partners to ensure an enhanced and successful sporting future for Australia.

Until next time

Matt Miller
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Sports Commission