Australia spends federally PER YEAR to Olympic athletes is equal to what Canada spent in the FIVE YEARS TOTAL leading up to Vancouver on our Winter Sports athletes (Australia spends $171 million per year on Olympic athletics; we spent $170 million on our Winter athletes for Vancouver between 2005 and 2010). And as you will see below, while we increased our spending, Australia is increasing MORE.
Someone here suggested that our Olympians should EXPECT to live in poverty - they are sacrificing for their "art". Well, why should our Olympians have to live with their parents, work regular jobs, spend absolutely no time with their families because what time they don't spend working they spend training... while the Australian athletes get the best coaching, time at the best facilities, money for rent and food and only need to work part time. And you can see by the medal standings that that pays off.
Quote:
|
"We're at a budget of about $70 million annually at this point for both summer and winter," Baumann said. "The funding has increased significantly. Kudos to the government." Own The Podium's money comes from Sport Canada, the federal government arm that oversees sport. Sport Canada also provides money for Canadian cities to host international events, and also gives elite athletes a monthly stipend of up to $1,500 per month to help cover living and training expenses. All in, the Canadian government spends between $165 million to $175 million a year on sport, Baumann estimates. By comparison, the Australian government committed in December to spend $1.2 billion on sport over the next four years. "Are we at the level of the United Kingdom and Australia? Definitely not," Baumann said. "I still think we're behind and not yet at that G8 status where we need to be."
|
-=-=-=-=-
However, Australia is starting to wonder if the money is worth the investment. There has been MODERATE increase in sports participation due to their athletic success:
http://theconversation.edu.au/olympi...ting-life-7531
It has done very little to attract new spectators to Olympic sports:
http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/08/04...hey-failed-us/
Personally, I love seeing these athletes perform and would be willing to pay my $10/year that was suggested earlier to put our athletes at even par with Australia. But it would be purely for entertainment purposes. Other than national pride, which should be about far, far more than athletics, it seems that the Olympics do not have the trickle down benefits that the Australian politicians suggested would come with the increased funding.