1981 - 1990

• 1981The AIS officially opened by the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Malcolm Fraser on 26 January (Australia Day). Don Talbot was appointed inaugural AIS Director and Kevan Gosper, Chair of the AIS Board. The eight founding sports were basketball, gymnastics, netball, swimming, tennis, track and field, football, and weightlifting.
• 1982The South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) was established.
• 1983Construction of the indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and swimming complex were completed. The Gymnastics Training Hall was opened on 1 March 1983 by the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Fraser. The West Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) was established.
• 1984Dr John Cheffers was appointed AIS Director. Ted Harris was appointed new ASC Chair. Greg Hartung was appointed ASC CEO. The AIS diving program in Brisbane and hockey program in Perth were established. Construction of the Frank Stewart Training Centre for netball, Football (indoor) basketball and weightlifting and outdoor synthetic football pitch were completed.
• 1985Professor John Bloomfield was appointed AIS Chair. The Sports Science and Medicine Building was opened on 22 July 1985 by the Hon John Brown MP, Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism. The AIS Athletes' Residence and the Corporate Services Building was opened by the Prime Minister, the Hon Bob Hawke, on 29 October 1985. The AIS squash program in Brisbane and men's water polo and rowing in Canberra were established. The Tasmanian Institute of Sport (TIS) was established.
• 1986The AIS Football outdoor facility was completed, which included the two grass fields, changing rooms and lecture room. The AIS men's cricket program in Adelaide was established.
• 1987Ronald Harvey was appointed AIS Director. The AIS cycling program in Adelaide was established. In August the government decided to merge the AIS with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC).
• 1988The AIS rugby union program in Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra was established. Perry Crosswhite was appointed as acting ASC CEO.
• 1989The AIS canoe facility opened on the Gold Coast. Ronald Harvey was appointed ASC CEO. The ACT Academy of Sport (ACTAS) was established.
• 1990Robert de Castella appointed AIS Director. The AIS men's volleyball program in Sydney was established. Jim Ferguson was appointed ASC CEO. The Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) was established.

Opening of the AIS by Malcolm Fraser 1981

AIS Men's Football Team 1981

AIS Sports Science 1982

AIS Campus 1983

Indoor Basketball Hall Opening 1984

AIS administration building and AIS residence 1985

Image gallery