Swimming Queensland Headed For Funding Cuts Despite Olympic Success

Swimming Queensland is reportedly facing a cut in funding, despite constituents to the tune of Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown and Zac Stubblety-Cook‘s enormous success at the 2020 Olympic Games.

Per Swimming Queensland Chief Kevin Hasemannthe Queensland Academy of Sport is reducing the typical $500,000 per annum funding it has given since 2015, although exact figures are not yet being made public.

“We’ve been notified by the QAS that the level of funding we’ve been receiving from them is about to be cut significantly,’’ Hasemann said. (The Australian)

“The Swimming Queensland formula has proven to be an unqualified success, evidenced by the outstanding performance of Queensland swimmers at the Tokyo Olympics, where, if a nation, Queensland would have finished a clear second on the medal table. Cutting back now can only be to the detriment of Australia’s high ambitions for the 2032 home Games.’’

“The QAS provides direct financial support to SQ for implementation of strategies for the development of swimmers up to an including world junior level and their coaches, who are absolutely pivotal to the swimmers success,’’ said Hasemann who has been at the helm of SA for 20 years.

“From 2015, that funding has averaged over half a million dollars per annum. The Queensland Government recently announced $15 million per annum in new funding for the QAS, which doubles its budget.

“This decision will hinder the efforts of SQ, as a not-for-profit state sporting organisation with limited financial resources, to maintain – let alone build on – our extremely successful services to young swimmers and their coaches delivered across the state.

“Unless the QAS has a change of heart, SQ will be forced to reduce our development budget at a time when it’s more crucial than ever that we identify and nurture future Olympians.’’ (The Australian)

The QAS has been in existence since 1991 when it was conceived by the Queensland Government in order to support the state’s athletes.

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Corn Pop
2 years ago

Some good news : Emma’s campaign for NSW to.open indoor pools has been successful . Her linking the 20% rise in children drowning could not be answered by those cruel bureaucrats. . It took Emma to shame them .

I have taken a 1& 3 year old to lessons in small private indoor swim school since March 2020 . Sometimes there are restrictions if there are cases in the community but they always go on . The continuity of swim lessons is a must & imo far higher priority than covid .

Last edited 2 years ago by Corn Pop
Verram
2 years ago

Queensland and it’s premier have been trying to extort more money from the Federal Govt during the pandemic (Scomo’s words) so no surprise they’re using the Olympians as ransom bait in this battle $$$

Last edited 2 years ago by Verram
Troyy
Reply to  Verram
2 years ago

🙄🙄🙄

Meeeeeee
2 years ago

With the COVID situation there I’m assuming the economy is in shambles and cost-cutting measures are necessary. China’s issue with Evergrande is going to hit Australia hard.

Admin
Reply to  Meeeeeee
2 years ago

Your assumption is wrong. The Australian economy has fared better than most throughout the pandemic because they’ve had such minimal lockdowns.

swimswamsers
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

???

Troyy
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

That was the case before the most recent NSW mess that spread to VIC but QLD isn’t included in that shitshow.

Troyy
Reply to  Meeeeeee
2 years ago

Queensland’s had very little in the way of lockdowns or even restrictions so most industries have operated close to normal. The big exception is tourism because of the border closures.

Verram
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

Then they should have no problem funding their own state and getting their vaccine rate up instead of acting like selfish citizens

Joel
Reply to  Verram
2 years ago

Selfish? As soon as the Qld borders open, we will get covid deaths. That’s just a fact . I agree they need to open and I’m double vaxxed. But it would have been really nice if NSW had locked down properly right from the start in June. And it would have been great if we’d had access to Pfizer sooner.

Jackman
2 years ago

Seems a bizarre move considering developing swimmers are the exact right people to target for 2032.

Robbos
Reply to  Jackman
2 years ago

ScoMo has to get the submarine money back somehow.

Troyy
Reply to  Robbos
2 years ago

Has nothing to do with the federal government and QAS’s funding actually increased at the same time they’re cutting SQ’s funding. This is all in the article.

Robbos
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

It was a sarcastic comment about ScoMo. I fully realise this is a not a federal government funding, not to mention that the amount mentioned is a drop in the ocean to the money the government has lost due to this submarine deal.

Corn Pop
Reply to  Robbos
2 years ago

In 2014 France cancelled the Mistral ships being built for Russia. These were already on the docks & being outfitted by Russia.

The tantrum led to an agreed billion in comp & then they onsold them to Egypt it was reported Ru outfitted them there but IDK , everyone lost interest .

France boo hoo. Macron & Obama’s tree died too . C’est la vie .

I

Troyy
Reply to  Jackman
2 years ago

Surely there must be some details that aren’t known yet because otherwise it makes no sense. Perhaps there’s some restructuring coming and the funding won’t decrease overall but given how successful SQ is it’d be better to stick with an “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy. If there is in fact a straight cut in funding where are they gonna redirect it? Athletics? LOL

Let’s Go Brandon!
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

A lot of odd things happening in Australia lately.

M d e
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

It will be redirected to something we underperform in under the assumption that the swimming performance will be maintained without the investment.

Sad part is, to some extent, and in the short term, they are probably right, so this could be just the beginning.

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Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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