Rio Athletes Receive Over a Million Dollars in AOC Funding

Australian athletes who won medals at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games will receive over a million dollars in funding from the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC). A total of 71 athletes are eligible for 2017 Medal Incentive Funding (MIF) of $1,080,000 to be paid by the AOC from January. The big winners include the Women’s Rugby 7s Team ($240,000) and our Swimming Team ($320,000). The 12 members of the Women’s Rugby 7s Team will each receive $20,000 for their gold medal. $15,000 is awarded to silver medalists and $10,000 to bronze medalists.

"The funding allows us to fully focus on our training without needing to pick up extra work to help subsidise our training needs" said Sevens player Charlotte Caslick.

"Having the support of the AOC leading up to the Olympics was pivotal in helping our preparation by allowing our focus to remain on performance." she said.

Shooting gold medallist, Catherine Skinner, is another to receive $20,000 in MIF funding. "This medal funding helping goes straight back into the kitty, for training and travel" Catherine said. "It helps to pay off credit cards and travel costs.

"For a lot of athletes, we are training when we could be working so this funding helps to motivate us to go ahead and keep training.

"We are prioritising sport over work and monetary gain, so this is really great support and help.

"It is fantastic to get this support, it is a great feeling that I’ve earned this and it’s going back into my sport.

"The goal was always a medal, not money. But every little bit helps and this feels like recognition of hard work. It is the icing on the cake."

With five new sports added to the program for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games the AOC Executive has decided those athletes should also be included in the MIF Program. Based on results at World Championships or other equivalent events nominated by their National Federation their payments currently total $40,000, comprising $20,000 to Surfing world champion, Taylor Wright, and $20,000 to Skateboarding champion Shane O’Neill.

Their inclusion lifts the total MIF payment for 2017 by the AOC to $1,120,000.

All payments are an incentive to athletes to continue with their sporting careers. However, RIO medalists can take a break from training, come back, and still be eligible for AOC MIF in 2018, 2019 or 2020.

"In the past athletes have taken a break immediately after the Games to rest and preserve their bodies for another shot at the Games four years later. This is totally acceptable, and those taking time out will still be eligible for the amount payable in 2017" said AOC General Manager of Sport, Jane Fernandez.

Some of our top Winter athletes will also receive a funding boost in the lead up to the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games.

10 athletes including Lydia Lassila, Matt Graham, Jarryd Hughes and Greta Small will receive scholarships of $1500 US per month from November 2016 to February 2018 to assist their preparation for the Games.

The AOC secured the scholarship funding through the Olympic Solidarity Program run by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

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