History of the Australian Institute of Sport

Jan 1, 2014
3 min read

"The cradle of Australia's national sports system - a system that is recognised the world over for its ability to identify, develop and produce champions." - Australian Sports Commision 2015

The key reason for the creation of the Australian Institute of Sport in 1981 was Australia's poor performance at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Australia managed to claim only a single silver medal and four bronze ones. However, it was three years prior to this that plans began being made to create a professional hub for elite sports and sportspeople in Australia.

Professor John Bloomfield was employed by the government in 1973 to prepare a report on possible ways to further improve Australia's sporting performance. Bloomfeild went on the write the report, "The Role, Scope and Development of Recreation in Australia. The report discussed and analysed already existing institutes of sport around Europe and the success they had in improving their nations sporting performance, at the elite level of competition. It was from the pre-existing institues in Europe that the basis for the Australian Institute of Sport was founded.

The proposed plan gained support from a wide range of government officials, however no further movement on the topic took place for a number of years. This was partly due to the lack of cohesion between the sporting world and the Australian government after the Australian Olympic Federation refused to boycott the Moscow Olympics, despite the governments request to do so.

However, further pushes in favour of an Institute of Sport continued and eventually Prime Minister Malcom Fraser opended the Australian Institute of Sport on the 26th of January 1981. Don Talbot, an Australian world wide renowned swim coach became the institute's initial director.

The use of the Australian Institute of Sport proceeded at full swing as Australia tried its utmost to return to its former state of sporting glory, and results at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games clearly proved that it was successful. Athletes who trained at the Institute won seven out of the twelve swimming medals, while gymnastics and athletics gained a record number of medals. Along with the increased success of the athletes, the Institute recieved a 60% funding increased and a number of new sports were added.

The Australian Institute of Sport now caters for a wide variety of sports, with campuses located all around the country, including Canberra, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Roughly 700 athletes recieve scholarships each year to the Institute. "These athletes receive top level coaching; access to equipment, sport science and medicine facilities; accommodation, meals and travel; and assistance with education and career planning."

The Australian Institute of Sport has become world-renowned and is often utilized by international sports teams and people. The Chairman of the Australian Institute of Sport Board described the Institute as "a shrine of excellence. It is one of Australia's more successful ventures in education and research. You have to have an icon for excellence in sport, and that is the AIS"

Athletes who are able to train at the Institute recieve access to a wide range of facilities, including the constant aid of 75 coaches, the Sports Science and Sports Medicine Division, word's leading authorities in nutrition, biomechanics, sports medicine, psychology and physiology. A number of training camps and competitions are also held at the Institute, providing the athletes with real life experiences of the competitive, professional side of sport. Swimmers are able to train in a 50m pool, with underwater viewing areas, underwater video analysis, underwater speakers and superior swimming specialized altitute training facilities.

It has often been said that Australia's generous funding towards the Australian Institute of Sport has been the reason behind Australia's Sporting success on the international stage.

"Its results speak for themselves and it is regarded as a world best practice model for elite athlete development." - Australian Bureau of Staistics 2002