Australian Sports Commission cuts raise concerns ahead of Brisbane Olympics

Sports specialists have warned of a loss of expertise following planned Australian Sports Commission job cuts, including at the Australian Institute of Sport. The commission says its restructuring is needed to maintain a sustainable organisation.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the process, begun in September, concerns roughly 40 to 50 roles within a workforce of almost 550 and a 15 million Australian dollar funding shortfall. ASC confirmed structural changes affecting sports science. It has not disclosed the full team breakdown while staff redeployment continues and says it will support affected employees.

Former swimming coach John Fowlie argues that Australia cannot afford to lose accumulated experience before the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. He says reaching an Olympic podium requires six or seven years with a coach. He fears another exodus of specialists like those he observed after previous changes, including the 2012 AIS restructure.

The federal government points to 513 million dollars for high-performance sport over two years and a separate 250 million dollar AIS campus redevelopment involving three new facilities. Fowlie questions investing in infrastructure while cutting professionals needed to operate it.

Disability Sports Australia chief executive Ayden Shaw says smaller organisations struggle to replace ASC expertise. He cited the commission’s help with DSA’s Building Inclusive Sport Clubs course and organisational strategy.

DSA’s own funding fell from 217,000 to 135,000 dollars following reduced investment in the grassroots Play Well programme. ASC says seven of ten national sports organisations for people with disabilities received increases under common assessment criteria. It also says the revised structure is not expected to reduce its support for sports bodies.

Former AIS researcher Greg Blood called for funding certainty through 2032 rather than the current two-year cycles. Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris backed longer-term certainty and suggested additional sources, including philanthropy. A spokesperson for Sports Minister Anika Wells said the latest budget had not cut high-performance funding. The government did not answer whether it would extend the period of guaranteed allocations.