[/Government warns 'big seven' to improve governance or risk losing funding
Ron Reed
Herald Sun
March 18, 20133:53PM

AUSTRALIA'S seven best-funded Olympic sports have been warned to improve the way they are run or effectively be heavily fined by the Government.

The Sports Commission today told athletics, swimming, cycling, rowing, sailing, hockey and basketball - all of which receive at least $5m a year from the public purse, and $55m collectively - that if they do not raise their governance standards significantly within a year, they will lose up to 20 per cent of the money.

The commission chairman, Melbourne businessman John Wylie, said recent reviews into two of the most troubled sports, swimming and cycling, had identified governance shortcomings "as central reasons for failures in the competitive, business or ethical standards in those sports".

He added: "While good governance does not guarantee success, its absence almost certainly guarantees failure."

He said it was not just swimming and cycling but "many sports" which needed to raise standards significantly.

But he said the big seven had "been identified based on the fact they are the largest recipients of Government funding and contribute most significantly to our international success".

In a letter to the presidents of each of the seven sports, Wylie said: "The ASC believes the public has the right to expect that sports receiving significant taxpayer funding will be well run.

"It matters also because our love of sport as a nation means Australians look to sportsmen and women and our sports as role models."

Wylie listed seven principles that he said needed attention from the sports, including proper supervision over sports science practices and complete transpar4ency in how they spend public money, as well as improving gender balance in their administrations.

Today's move follows the Commission's launch of The Winning Edge late last year, a document outlining the way forward for Australian sport.


big-seven-to-improve-governance-or-risk-losing-funding/story-e6frfglf-1226599963643

The Sports Commission today told athletics, swimming, cycling, rowing, sailing, hockey and basketball

sailing and hockey ffs :roll: