Australia’s elite athletes are running on empty and reconsidering their sporting futures.
An overwhelming number of Australia’s elite athletes are under significant financial pressure, which is having flow on impacts on athletes’ mental health, their families’ financial security and their ability to stay in the sport they have dedicated so much of their lives to.
This research shows there is a lot of support needed to meet financial and mental health gaps and address other challenges reported by our athletes. There are also significant cracks in the green and gold runway from the perspectives of athletes who are aiming to represent Australia in the future.
Download your copy to discover all the research findings.
01. Elite athletes are in financial distress
02. Mental health is declining and greater support is in high demand
03. Australia risks an exodus of elite athletes
04. The green and gold runway needs investment in athletes
With the ongoing fight against COVID-19, we checked in with community sport clubs in June 2021 to see how they were faring.
The survey showed that many clubs’ fears from 2020 had come to fruit, and that COVID-19 was exceptionally damaging to community sport. Clubs struggled financially, lost participants and found it difficult to find volunteers.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community Sport - (September 2021)
CLUBS UNDER PRESSURE - (MAY 2023)
Challenging economic conditions have placed additional strain on community sporting clubs, already struggling with running costs, participation numbers and volunteers. Rising costs and falling revenue are pushing almost one in five (18%) community sporting clubs to the brink of collapse. In the past year, smaller clubs in particular are feeling the greatest pressure, with one in four (24%) small community sporting clubs contemplating closing.
In November and December 2020, with travel restrictions, lockdowns, postponed and cancelled competitions, financial uncertainty and health implications due to COVID-19 we sought to understand the impact the global pandemic has had on our athletes.
We created a short survey to understand the financial, mental and physical impacts on athletes and the support needed to assist. The survey results showed that Australian athletes are underfunded, have limited financial security, and rely on their families or outside employment to survive.
IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES - (May 2021)
In May and June 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, we created a survey to understand the impact on clubs and the funding they needed to recover.
The survey results showed that community sports clubs are at a crisis point and thousands need urgent and co-ordinated financial support to survive..
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community Sport - (July 2020)
