By Greg Blood
The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be another test of the strength of Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic team sports. Since 2012, there has been a decline in the medals won by Australian Olympic and Paralympic teams sports. From 1996 to 2012, team sports won more than one medal at the Games.
In many ways, this period 1996 to 2012 reflected the substantial investment made through the Olympic and Paralympic Athlete Program (OAP/PPP) 1994-2000 – $140 m over six years. This investment into development flowed into Sydney and subsequent Games. A significant amount of OAP/PPP funding was directed to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) that provided development scholarship programs for Olympic team sports – men’s & women’s basketball, men’s & women’s football, men’s & women’s hockey, men’s & women’s water polo, men’s & women’s volleyball and women’s softball. State institutes/academies were also funded to operate Intensive Training Centre’s in many team sports. But in 2012, the AIS Winning Edge Strategy ceased operating AIS development sport programs and handed back this responsibility to national sports organisations (NSOs).
Questions to be asked since 2012 include –
- were the AIS financial resources that were redirected to NSOs adequate for them to maintain development programs that were previously offered by the AIS?
- did NSOs abandon or diminish development programs due to reallocating AIS funds in other areas?
From my perspective, one of the advantages of the AIS from 1981 to 2012 was that it ensured funding for development programs that was largely quarantined from NSOs expenditure. Whilst there is a long-held view that NSOs should manage their sports entirely – but can they be trusted with investment in development programs that provide long term outcomes? Particularly when a significant portion of their funding comes from the Australian Government and based generally on current international performances. It is easy to see how an NSO today may focus on the now than the future – especially when there is a frequent turnover of CEO’s and Board members.
It is worth reflecting on the development of the Boomers and Socceroos/Olyroos since the cessation of AIS scholarships in 2012.
- Basketball Australia has committed significant resources to maintaining an AIS type programs in Canberra – the BA Centre of Excellence (BA COE). It is still recruiting the best young athletes to train together daily and to have access to quality coaching. The BA COE was enhanced by the NBA recognises its value in player development by funding a Global Academy in 2017. Due to this investment, there is still a steady stream of high quality athletes into the NBA and then onto the Boomers.
- Football Australia abandoned the AIS men’s development programs in 2013 and put the emphasis on daily player development back on A-League clubs and some state institutes/academies. This means that the best young players might not be developed in an optimal training program. The stark result is that the Olyroos failed to qualify for the 2016 & 2024 Olympics. In addition, there are very few Socceroos / Olyroos that now play in the major leagues in Europe. I previously documented the contribution of the AIS to the Socceroos which led to the “golden generation” and many players playing in major leagues.
The decline in Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic team sports performances cannot be solely laid in NSO development resources. It is important to recognise other influences such as:
- Professional non-Olympic team sports in Australia are now providing greater opportunities to athletes – this is significant in relation to female athletes ie the growth of women’s AFLW (Australian football), WNBL (cricket), NRLW (rugby league) and Super Netball. The rapid development of these leagues may be impacting on basketball, rugby 7’s, hockey and volleyball.
- Since 2000, many of Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic competitor nations have invested increased funding into high performance sport – several as the result of hosting the Games – China (2008), Great Britain (2012), Brazil (2020) and Japan (2024) and now most likely France (2024). To qualify for the Olympics and Paralympics and to win a medal has become more difficult.
- Many Olympic and Paralympic team sports since 2000 have more international competitions to attend particularly to maintain their competitiveness and often ranking status. For instance, Hockey Australia is concerned about the increasing costs of participating in FIH Pro Leagues. This most likely impacts on NSOs financial resources for development programs. Again, it’s about the now not the future.
- The impact of COVID-19 on Tokyo results should be considered as Australian teams were restricted in international travel and competitions.
Funding
Two recent Australian Government sport finding announcements hopefully will lead to improvements in the performances of team sports.
The May 2024 federal budget, allocated $249.7 million funding over three years to upgrade AIS facilities in Canberra. This will modernise training facilities and accommodation. The AIS in Canberra is ideal for team sports development programs as can be seen through its previous successful basketball, football, netball and volleyball programs. Besides residential development programs the modernised AIS should be more attractive to team sports development camps. In June 2024, the Australian Government announced an additional $283 million investment in sport over the next two years. This should greatly assist in the success of Olympic and Paralympic team sports but how much will be allocated for developing athletes in team sports – particularly for Brisbane 2032? Interestingly what will be the funding post 2028 Games – the success of Sydney Games laid in $140m in extra funding committed in the six years up to the Games.
Conclusion
The success of national sporting teams on the world stage appears to be important to Australians. One only needs to look public admiration of football’s Matildas and Socceroos, basketball’s Opals, Boomers, Rollers and Gliders, hockey’s Hockeyroos and Kookaburras, wheelchair rugby’s Steelers, netball’s Diamonds and the Australian men’s and women’s cricket teams when they are successful on the world stage.
The Boomers bronze ‘rose gold’ medal at the Tokyo Olympics led to great celebrations in the basketball and Australian community. This came after they had heartbreakingly finished fourth in 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2016. Who can forget the tears from basketball great Andrew Gaze – five-time Olympian.
Successful Olympic and Paralympic team sports lead to more athletes coming home with a medal. Whilst the medal may only be counted once on the medal table – more athletes can call themselves an Olympic medallist and be lauded in their local community.
It will be interesting to observe team sport results at the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in light of current NSO development programs and their funding.
Analysis of Olympic and Paralympic Team Sports
An analysis was undertaken into Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic team sports since 1896 and 1960 respectively. This is detailed below. Excluded are sports that have small teams/crews – rowing, canoeing and sailing (crews), athletics, swimming and triathlon (relays), tennis, table tennis and badminton (doubles), cycling (team sprint / pursuit / madison), equestrian (teams), beach volleyball (pairs) and artistic swimming (team but also individual medals).
Table 1 – Olympic Sport Medals by Sport
| Sport | 1st Year at Games | No of Games | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Best Result |
| Baseball – Men | 1996 | 3 | – | 1 | – | 2nd 2004 |
| Basketball – Women | 1984 | 11 | – | 3 | 3 | 2nd 2000 2004, 2008 |
| Basketball – Men | 1956 | 14 | – | – | 1 | 3rd 2020 |
| Football – Women | 2004 | 5 | – | – | – | 4th 2020 |
| Football – Men | 1956 | 8 | – | – | – | 4th 1992 |
| Handball – Women | 2000 | 1 | – | – | – | 12th |
| Handball – Men | 2000 | 1 | – | – | – | 12th |
| Hockey – Women | 1984 | 11 | 3 | – | – | 1st 1988 1996 2000 |
| Hockey – Men | 1956 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1st 2004 |
| Rugby 7’s – Women | 2016 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 1st 2016 |
| Rugby 7’s – Men | 2016 | 3 | – | – | – | 7th 2020 |
| Rugby Union | 1908 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1st 1908 * |
| Softball – Women | 1996 | 5 | – | 1 | 3 | 2nd 2004 |
| Water Polo – Women | 2000 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1st 2000 |
| Water Polo – Men | 1948 | 17 | – | – | – | 5th 1984 1992 |
| Volleyball – Women | 2000 | 1 | – | – | – | 10th 2000 |
| Volleyball – Men | 2000 | 3 | – | – | – | 8th 2000 |
(*) Australasian team (Australian and New Zealand players)
Table 2 – Sports Medals by Olympic Games
1 = Gold, 2 = Silver, 3 = Bronze
| Sport – Games | 19 08 | 64 | 68 | 76 | 88 | 92 | 96 | 20 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 |
| Baseball – Men | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Basketball – Women | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| Basketball – Men | 3 | |||||||||||||
| Hockey – Women | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Hockey – Men | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| Rugby 7’s – Women | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Rugby Union | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Softball – Women | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Water Polo – Women | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Gold | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Silver | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bronze | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Medals | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| No Athletes with Team Medals | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 59 | 70 | 66 | 56 | 41 | 12 | 30 | 25 |
Table 3 – Paralympic Sport Medals by Sport
| Sport | 1st Year at Games | No of Games | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Best Result |
| Wheelchair Basketball – Women | 1992 | 7 | – | 3 | 1 | 2nd 2000 2004 2012 |
| Wheelchair Basketball – Men | 1960 | 15 | 2 | 2 | – | 1st 1996 2008 |
| Basketball – ID – Men * | 2000 | 1 | – | – | – | 5th 2000 |
| Goalball – Women | 1996 | 4 | – | – | – | 4th |
| Goalball – Men | 1980 | 6 | – | – | – | 4th 1996 |
| Five- A-Side – Men | 2000 | 1 | – | – | – | 8th 2000 |
| Wheelchair rugby (Mixed) | 1996 | 7 | 2 | 2 | – | 1st 2012 2016 |
| Volleyball – Men Sitting | 2000 | 1 | – | – | – | 8th 2000 |
| Volleyball – Men Standing | 2000 | 1 | – | – | – | 11th 2000 |
(*) – sport removed from Paralympics due to Spanish cheating issue
Table 4 – Paralympic Medals by Games
1- Gold, 2 – Silver, 3- Bronze
| Sport | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Basketball – Women | – | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | – |
| Basketball – Men | 1 | – | 2 | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Wheelchair rugby | – | 2 | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | – |
| Total Medals | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | – |
| No Athletes with Team Medals | 12 | 24 | 24 | 36 | 36 | 12 | 0 |
Detailed Performances at the Olympic Games
dnq – did not qualify ; dnc – did not attend ; (?) – 2024 result to be determined
Baseball
1988 (5th), 1992 (dnq), 1996 (7th), 2000 (7th), 2004 (Silver), 2008 (dnq), 2020 (dnq), 2024 (no comp)
Basketball – Women (Opals)
1984 (5th), 1998 (5th), 1992 (dnq), 1996 (Bronze), 2000 (Silver)_, 2004 (Silver), 2008 Silver), 2012 (Bronze), 2016 (5th), 2020 (8th), 2024 (Bronze)
Basketball – Men (Boomers)
1956 (12th , 1960 – , 1964 (9th), 1968 – , 1972 (9th), 1976 (8th), 1980 (8th), 1984 (7th), 1988 (4th), 1992 (6th), 1996 (4th), 2000 (4th), 2004 (9th), 2008 (7th), 2012 (7th), 2016 (4th), 2020 (Bronze), 2024 (6th)
Basketball 3 x 3 – Women (Gangurrus )
2020 (dnq), 2024 (5th)
Basketball 3 x 3 – Men (Gangurrus)
2020 – 2024 (dnq)
Football – Women (Matildas)
1996 (dnq), 2000 (7th), 2004 (5th), 2008 (dnq), 2012 (dnq), 2016 (7th), 2020 (4th) , 2024 (?)
Football – Men (Olyroos)
1956 (5-8th), 1998 (7th), 1992 (4th), 1996 (13th), 2000 (13th), 2004 (7th), 2008 (11th), 2012 (dnq), 2016 (dnq), 2020 (12th), 2024 (dnq)
Hockey – Women (Hockeyroos)
1984 (4th), 1988 (Gold), 1992 (5th), 1996 (gold), 2000 (Gold), 2004 (5th), 2008 (5th), 2012 (5th), 2016 (6th), 2020 (5th), 2024 (5th)
Hockey – Men (Kookaburras)
1956 (5th), 1960 (6th) , 1964 (Bronze), 1968 (Silver), 1972 (5th), 1976 (Silver) 1980 (Boycott), 1984 (4th), 1988 (4th), 1992 (Silver), 1996 (Bronze), 2000 (Bronze), 2004 (Gold), 2008 (Bronze), 2012 (Bronze), 2016(6th), 2020 (Silver) , 2024 (6th)
Rugby Sevens – Women’s
2016 (Gold), 2020 (5th), 2024 (4th)
Rugby Sevens Men’s
2016 (8th), 2020 (7th), 2024 (4th)
Softball (Aussie Spirit)
1996 (Bronze), 2000 (Bronze), 2004 (Silver), 2008 (Bronze), 2012-2016 (no comp), 2020 (5th), 2024 (no comp)
Volleyball – Women
2000 (9th), 2004 – 2024 (dnq)
Volleyball – Men
2000 (8th), 2004 (11th), 2008 (dnq), 2012 (9th), 2026 -2024 (dnq),
Water Polo – Women (Stingers)
2000 (Gold), 2004 (4th), 2008 (Bronze), 2012 (Bronze), 2016 (6th), 2020 (Silverr)
Water Polo – Men (Sharks)
1948 (17th), 1952 (17th), 1956 (9th), 1960 (15th), 1964 (12th), 1968 (dnc), 1972 (12th) , 1976 (11th), 1980 (7th), 1984 (5th), 1988 (8th), 1992 (5th), 1996 (dnq) 2000 (8th), 2004 (9th), 2008 (8th), 2012 (7th), 2016 (9th), 2020 (9th), 2024 (8th)
Detailed Performances at the Paralympic Games
Basketball Wheelchair – Women (Gliders)
1992 (4th), 1996 (4th), 2000 (Silver), 2004 (Silver), 2008 (Bronze), 2012 (Silver), 2016 (dnq), 2020 (9th), 2024 (dnq)
Basketball Wheelchair – Men (Rollers)
1960 (?) , 1964 (dnc), 1968 (9th), 1972 (5th), 1976 (10th), 1980 (13th), 1984 11th, 1988 (10th), 1992 (8th), 1996 (Gold), 2000 (5th), 2004 (Silver), 2008 (Gold), 2012 (Silver), 2016 (6th), 2020 (5th), 2024 (?)
Goalball – Women (Aussie Belles)
1996 (8th), 2000 (8th), 2004 (dnq), 2008 (dnq), 2012 (dnq), 2016 (9th), 2020 (9th), 2024 (dnq)
Goalball – Men (Aussie Storm)
1980 (13th), 1984 (13th), 1988 (11th), 1992 (11th), 1996 (4th), 2000 (9th), 2004 (dnq), 2008 (dnq), 2012 (dnq), 2016 (dnq), 2020 (dnq), 2024 (dnq)
Football – 5 a side (Drillers)
2000 (7th), 2004-2024 (dnq)
Volleyball Sitting – Men
2000 (11th), 2004-2024 (dnq)
Volleyball Sitting – Women
2004-2024 (dnq)
Volleyball Standing – Men
2000 (8th) – no longer held since 2000
Wheelchair Rugby Mixed (Steelers)
1996 (6th), 2000 (Silver), 2004 (5th), 2008 (Silver), 2012 (Gold), 2016 (Gold), 2020 (4th)
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