Australian sport may be on the cusp of change

The Independent Sport Panel Report, setup to look into sports funding, was published in Australia last week, prompting debate and speculation for the future of sport in the country.
Australian rules football is inline for funding under this report

John Coates the President of the Australian Olympic Committee has criticised the Report, and several elite sports people have joined Coates' calls for sustained funding to Olympic level sport. Other commentators have welcomed the recommendations, challenging beliefs that Australians benefit from funding high performance athletes. Such positions call for more participation level resourcing.

Key recommendation areas from the Report are:

* Defining Australia's national sports vision
* Reforming the Australian Sports Commission to lead the sports system
* Merging Australia's institutes of sport
* Building the capacity of Australia's national sporting organisations
* Putting sport and physical activity back into education
* Building community sport with people and places
* Ensuring Australia's sports system is open to all
* Sustaining the funding base for sport

Australians now await a Government response to the recommendations.