AAP
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) says taxpayer funding must be used much more efficiently as it announced a major overhaul in a bid to address the nation's slide down international rankings.
In launching the 10-year project, Australia's Winning Edge, the ASC has set a target of a top-five finish on the medals table at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, but has told sporting bodies they must be more accountable and efficient with their use of funding.
While elite sport will not receive any more than the $170 million annual contribution from the federal government, the ASC will actively pursue greater commercial and philanthropic support to fund several new initiatives.
ASC chairman John Wylie said the $170 million must be invested wisely.
"There is an opportunity to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, reduce complexity and improve collaboration in the Australian sporting system. These can and must be addressed," Wylie said at the project launch at the MCG on Friday.
Among the initiatives is a $20 million investment over the next four years for coaching and leadership.
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) will also be drastically restructured and will hand over control of sports programs to individual sporting bodies who will have greater responsibility.
The AIS will assume control of investment in high performance sport, streamlining the current structure under which sporting organisations receive funding from two bodies, and will oversee medical, scientific and technological development.
Funding will be based on a sport's ability to win medals and its administration meeting high standards of governance.
The AIS will also conduct an annual draft camp to attract potential champion athletes.
Wylie said one of the ASC's core principles is that sporting success matters to Australians, but the country's performance has declined in the past decade.
"Past success is no guarantee of future performance," Wylie said.
"The evidence shows the challenge we face."
Australia has won fewer total medals at each Summer Olympics since Sydney 2000 and this year will have around half the world champions it did a decade ago.
In London this year Australia had its worst Olympics since 1992, coming home with seven gold medals, finishing 10th on the overall table.
Wylie says elite sport has become a hard-nosed business around the world and Australia must keep pace.
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