AIS high performance sports programs in 2011

AIS high performance sports programs confirmed for 2011@ASC

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has announced that the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will move to support 35 high performance sport programs across 26 sports from 2011 in an effort to ensure the Institute continues to operate as a world class sports training facility.

Like all organisations, the AIS has had to find productivity improvements to sustain its performance and capacity to strategically support high performance sport in Australia.

Recognising the continuing annual rise in costs to deliver and support these programs, the AIS cannot continue to support the current number of programs whilst also maintaining the integrity of the AIS in line with its aspiration to be the world’s best sports institute producing champions for Australia.

In consideration of this, from 2011, the AIS will not deliver high performance programs for three of its current sport programs – archery, boxing and golf - at the conclusion of their respective scholarship periods.

This decision also allows the AIS to maximise Government investment in high performance sport by ensuring the Institute better aligns with the priority high performance sports identified earlier this year by the joint Australian Sports Commission/State and Territory Institutes and Academies of Sport National Assessment Process.

The AIS has informed the national sporting bodies affected by this decision and will work closely with athletes, coaches and staff currently involved in these programs.

Those athletes affected will continue to receive AIS support services in accordance with the AIS Athlete Transition Policy once their programs conclude.

The ASC has allocated extra high performance funding to archery, boxing and golf to support their programs outside of the AIS.

This allocation of extra funding to these sports will allow the sports to run their own high performance programs to best fit their individual needs.

From 2011 the AIS will also remodel the AIS Gymnastics program from a residential to a camps-based program. This shift supports the new high performance plan developed by Gymnastics Australia.