Category: Author – Greg Blood
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Revisiting Olympic Athlete Program & Paralympic Preparation Program (1994-2000)
By Greg Blood It is worthwhile revisiting the Olympic Athlete Program (OAP) and Paralympic Preparation Program (PPP) with the strong likelihood of Brisbane and South East Queensland hosting the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. These Australian Government funding programs led to Australia having its most successful Summer Olympics and Paralympics to date. Besides the Australia’s…
australiansportreflections
Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Olympic Committee, Australian Sports Commission, Author – Greg Blood, Coaching, Evaluation and Review, Funding, Governance, Government Policy, High Performance Sport, History, Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Paralympics Australia, Politics, Sport Science, Sports Medicine, Talent Development -
AIS support of regional athletes 1981 to 2013
By Greg Blood The establishment of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in 1981 has greatly assisted in regional athletes being significant contributors to the success of Australia in international sporting arena. In recent years, on a voluntary basis, I have created alumni websites for six AIS inaugural sports – athletics, basketball, men’s football, netball, gymnastics and…
australiansportreflections
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My 50 ‘Best of the Best’ Australian Institute of Sport Scholarship Athletes
Celebrating the 40th AIS Anniversary by Greg Blood The Australian Institute of Sport celebrates its 40th anniversary on 26 January 2021. It was opened by Prime Minister Malcom Fraser by unveiling John Robinson’s ‘Acrobats’ statue. The establishment of the AIS has been one of the most significant developments in Australian sport – taking Australia from…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Sport in 2020 – ‘Unprecedented’ Year for Sport Administrators
by Greg Blood Australian sport administrators have been under enormous stress during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues. It is worthwhile to briefly document the many challenges managed during this ‘unprecedented’ year’. Sports Rorts The year started with the Australian National Audit Office report into Sport Australia’s Community Sport Infrastructure Program that…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Sports Deaths 2020
by Greg Blood 2020 has seen the passing of many notable Australian athletes, coaches and administrators. Below is a list of Australians that have made a significant contribution to Australian and international sport. For a more comprehensive list visit Wikipedia’s Deaths of 2020. The deaths of Don Talbot and Peter Bowman greatly saddened me as…
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Australian Institute of Sport alumni inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame – Who be in a list of Best 40 Athletes 1981-2013 ?
by Greg Blood Many Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) alumni have been inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame since 2000. To celebrate the AIS 40th anniversary on 26 January 2021, I am aiming to compile a list of the Best 40 AIS athletes to celebrate this important occasion. Recently the Sport Australia Hall…
australiansportreflections
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Vale Don Talbot AO OBE – reflecting on his contribution to the Australian Institute of Sport and high performance sport
by Greg Blood You will see many wonderful and deserving tributes on the late Don Talbot’s swimming coaching career but I would like to focus on his contribution to high performance sport in Australia, particularly the development of the Australian Institute of Sport. Many will know that John Bloomfield’s 1973 report The Role, Scope and Development of…
australiansportreflections
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Contribution of Australian sport administrators to international sport
By Greg Blood Australian sport administrators have filled significant positions in international sport. John Coates has often argued that Australian sport administrators need to hold significant Australian positions particularly President/Chair for several years before standing for positions on international sports federations. I recently researched Ray Godkin’s sport administration career for his Wikipedia article and it…
australiansportreflections
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2022 Beijing Winter Olympics / Paralympics – sporting sanctions should not be used to protest against China’s human rights record
by Greg Blood The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China has been reported to call for China to be stripped of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics due to the country’s increasingly poor human rights record. This made me reflect on two instances of the Australian Government using sporting boycotts/sanctions – boycott of 1980 Moscow Olympics and banning…
australiansportreflections
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Contribution of Overseas Coaches to the AIS and Australian Sport
By Greg Blood The recent passing of former AIS Swimming Coach Gennadi Touretski made me reflect on the contribution of overseas coaches to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Australian high performance sport system since 1981. In 1981, inaugural AIS Head Coaches included four overseas highly credentialled coaches – Kelvin Giles (athletics from England),…
australiansportreflections