The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), Paralympics Australia and Commonwealth Games Australia have jointly requested a three-year funding guarantee from the nation’s Sports Minister, Richard Colbeck.
To keep elite athletes on track for a rescheduled Olympic Games, the aforementioned groups are asking for a continuation of funding at 2019/2020 levels for the next 3 years, with the total package expected to run in excess of $600 million, according to The Age. Over 49 member sports, including Swimming Australia, are represented within the request.
AOC Chief Executive Matt Carroll makes the argument that ‘funding certainty is needed to make sure community sports can get back online as soon as social restrictions are lifted, and to support elite athletes whose pathway to the Tokyo Olympics has blown out by another year,’ per The Age.
Colbeck acknowledged the submission, saying, “COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on sport across Australia at both elite and community levels.
Chump change
Maybe, but when it comes to keeping people housed and fed, it could be hard to get that kind of money. There are consequences to shutting down economies.