Australia government stumps up $255m in sports funding for Brisbane success

SYDNEY – The Australian government on June 28 announced A$283 million (S$255.4 million) in extra funding for sport over the next two years, to lay the groundwork for success when the nation hosts the Olympics for the third time in Brisbane in 2032.

The cash injection, which was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the capital Canberra, will take total government funding in sport up to A$489 million for the next couple of years, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) said.

More than A$17 million of the money will go to funding the Direct Athlete Investment Support Grant (Dais), which helps competitors deal with cost of living pressures while training.

“We have said many times that a successful home Games needs a successful home team, so this injection of funds at this time is fundamentally important to that outcome,” said Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman.

“The lift in Dais funding to cover more athletes is critical to giving them the confidence that they can focus on putting in the huge amount of work that is necessary to represent Australia on the international stage.

“The prime minister clearly gets what the Olympic sports do for this country, so we thank him and his commitment to helping our sports and our athletes.

“Our team will do us proud in Paris and that’s the first stop on the runway to LA28 (Los Angeles) and then Brisbane.”

The funding, according to a government statement, will also cover “additional training, well-being, and readiness support, including access to top-tier coaches and performance support personnel”.

It will be used for increased participation in both domestic and international competitions, as well as to ensure “regular exposure to world-class competition in readiness for major sporting events”.

The announcement comes in the wake of the recent government commitment of A$249.7 million to fund a refurbishment of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra.

The AIS was once a world leader in sports science and athlete training, helping Australia outperform nations of similar size and development at the Olympics and in other international competitions.

“I would like to thank the Australian government for its commitment to sport and providing our athletes the platform to win well,” said Brisbane-born Kieren Perkins, the former Olympic champion swimmer who serves as chief executive of the ASC and the AIS.

“Our Olympians and Paralympians are heading to Paris with the unprecedented support of this high-performance sport investment. We are particularly appreciative of the augmented investment in para-sport, which will diminish disparities and enable our para-athletes to maximise their potential.” REUTERS