Australian Swimming & Athletics Receive Funding Cuts

Australian swimming has been told they will receive a half-million-dollar funding cut in the wake of a poor Olympics at London 2012.

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) announced their 2013-14 allocation on Monday and despite swimming receiving a 5.8% cut, they are still the most funded sport at AU$8.1m.

Athletics also received a 3.8% cut, down to AU$6.57m.

Big increases in funding were however handed to sailing (16.7% increase), canoeing, rowing, rugby sevens and golf.

Sailing played a huge role in keeping Australia in the top ten on the medal stable at London 2012, after the team secured three gold medals.

Paralympic sports earned a boost of 14% on the back of a successful campaign last year in London.

The ASC said swimming’s cut reflected the findings of the Smith Review of ‘significant administration overheads’ and a need to show greater leadership and governance.

John Wylie, ASC Chairman said: “’Their reaction, while I wouldn’t say it was bursting with enthusiasm, they do understand the basis on which these decisions have been made.

“The primary basis for the decisions has been the performance cases … and the funding requirements that are assessed to go with that.”

Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates welcomed the ASC’s call for increased accountability from individual sporting bodies.

‘”There will always be winners and losers under the new strategy but we fully support Winning Edge and its goals,” Coates said in a statement.

“Sports are now more accountable and they are not only judged on performance but governance.”