2009 ANNUAL REPORT AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ONLINE AT OLYMPICS.COM.AU AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE INCORPORATED ABN 33 052 258 241 REG. No A0004778J Level 3, 1 Atchison Street St Leonards, NSW 2065 Ph: +61 2 8436 2100 olympics.com.au Photos used in this report are courtesy of AOC Supplier Getty Images. Photos on front cover were taken at the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival. CONTENTS Mission Overview 1 President’s Review 3 Members of the Executive 5 Athletes’ Commission 8 Senior Management, Staff, Auditors, Solicitors 9 Patrons, Life Members 10 Recipients of Olympic Order 11 Recipients of Order of Merit 12 Australian Teams at the Olympic Games 14 Australian Teams at the Olympic Winter Games 17 Australia’s Olympic Champions 19 Vale – Michael Mercer 23 Secretary General’s Review 24 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival 25 2010 Youth Olympic Games 28 2010 Australian Olympic Winter Team 29 2012 Australian Olympic Team 30 2012 Youth Olympic Winter Games 30 Olympic Winter Institute of Australia 31 Programs and Funding for Sports on the Olympic Program 32 Olympians’ Clubs of Australia 35 State Olympic Councils 36 Olympic Training Centres 36 Sponsorship and Marketing Review 2009–2012 37 Australian Olympic Team Partners 2009–2012 38 Media and Communications 39 Athletes’ Commission 45 Medical Commission 46 Corporate Governance Statement 49 Financial Statements 61 MISSION OVERVIEW Australia enjoys an outstanding Olympic history. The heroic achievements of our athletes at every Olympic Games since 1896 are a source of pride for all Australians. The Australian Olympic Team is the embodiment of our nations hopes, dreams and desires. Australia’s Olympians are the “Inspiration of our Nation”. The Australian Olympic movement promotes to the youth of Australia, values which are not bounded by place, creed or time. Values such as respect, aspiration, teamwork. The Olympic Games provide Australia with the opportunity to compete against the world’s best in a competition that promotes a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. As proud custodian of the Olympic Movement in Australia, the Australian Olympic Committee is committed to promoting the Olympic ideals and values to all, through sport. 3 PRESIDENT’S REVIEW My congratulations go to the 2010 I was not the only member of the Australian Olympic Winter Team AOC Executive to be honoured for their remarkable efforts in in the past twelve months. Kevan Vancouver returning with a record Gosper was awarded the inaugural three medals. Olive Branch Achievement Award The medal haul of two gold and by the United States Olympic one silver medal is the most Committee (USOC). successful result for Australia at The Olive Branch recognises an an Olympic Winter Games. These individual who best represents the podium wins combined with a international ideals of the Olympic string of top ten finishes has proven Games by working to build a peaceful Australia is a serious contender in and better world through sport. winter sport. Michael Wenden (retired) and The AOC was not immune from the Peter Montgomery were awarded global economic crisis and 2009 life membership of the AOC. Peter saw the need for drastic budget was also inducted into the Sport cuts across the organisation. The Australia Hall of Fame. Ron Harvey cost cutting measures were was awarded the IOC’s Pierre de focused on administration with Coubertin medal. only minimal effect on the Our congratulations also go to preparation and participation of Lynne Bates as the Chief Operating our Winter and Summer Olympic Officer for the highly successful Teams. Our aim was to maintain World Masters Games in Sydney. similar funding levels to the last Warmest congratulations to quadrennium for our athletes Geoffrey Henke on realising his despite the very tough economic long-term dream of a Winter sports climate. Management and staff of facility in Melbourne. Our sincere the AOC are to be congratulated thanks also go to the Victorian for the significant savings that have Government. The Ice House will be been made across all departments. a breeding ground for future Winter This year saw the return of Golf Olympians as well as providing a (men’s and women’s) and Rugby facility for young Australians to (7’s men’s and women’s) to the participate in Winter sports. Olympic Program. The IOC Session At the beginning of 2009 we in Copenhagen voted to accept responded to concerns by our both sports onto the program for member sports and key stakeholders the 2016 Rio Olympics. We about the need for more funding congratulate Rio on becoming the and hosted a High Performance first South American city to be Forum at Sydney Olympic Park chosen to host the Games. from the 2–4 February 2009. Also in Copenhagen I was fortunate Out of that meeting we formulated to be elected to the IOC Executive a National High Performance Plan Board and would like to take this for Olympic and Paralympic sport opportunity to thank you all for (HPP) recommending an increase your support and messages of in funding of approximately $90m congratulations. per annum at all levels of sport from the elite level to grassroots or community sport. The HPP was completed on 28 February 2009 and provided to the Minister for Sport, the Hon Kate Ellis. Australian Olympic Committee 4 This followed the Government’s public on 18 December 2009. Pleasingly our sponsors recognise appointment on 28 August 2008 In these difficult times some the fact that the Olympic brand of the Independent Sports Panel questioned the need for more is as powerful as ever and we are headed by David Crawford to money to be spent on sport. That committed to working with them examine The Future of Sport in is understandable, but the fact to ensure they achieve their goals Australia. remains that the Australian public from their Olympic partnership That report was finally released to take great pride in the achievements with us. the public on 17 November 2009. of our Olympic and Paralympic Throughout 2009 we have enjoyed Whilst we support many of the athletes and they deserve continued a positive and enjoyable working recommendations contained in Government support. relationship with the new television Mr Crawford’s report the time I am extremely grateful to everyone rights holders, The Nine Network taken to deliver the report and who volunteered their time and and Foxtel. subsequent time to consider it expertise and engaged in this We continued to conduct an means that the needs of high debate which is vital for the future outstanding Education Program performance Olympic and of sport in Australia and our particularly the Chat to a Champ Paralympic sport have not been reputation as a nation. initiative which involves Olympic well served. As was made clear On a much brighter note our athletes talking live via the internet in the HPP, the need to mobilise planning for London is well to children in classrooms all over resources, retain talent and advanced and I applaud the Australia. What is more pleasing is develop deeper and more effective enthusiasm of our new Chef de the desire of gold medallists and high performance and developmental Mission Nick Green and his Deputy other high profile athletes to be programs required immediate Chefs Chris Fydler and Kitty Chiller. involved in this program. They have action early in 2009 to stave off made themselves available at all As you know I am currently a further deterioration in the high hours of the night and in remote member of the IOC Co-ordination performance system. In particular, parts of the globe to go on-line Commission for London 2012. the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic and spend a couple of hours LOCOG is doing an outstanding Winter Games in Vancouver have sharing their stories, highs and job and I am confident they will come and gone. lows, with young primary school host an outstanding Games. I have On the day the Minister released students across the nation. The recently been appointed to the the Crawford Report I responded impact, the expressions on the IOC Co-ordination Commission by announcing the appointment kid’s faces is something to behold. to similarly oversee preparations of a Study Group to consider and and assist the organising Finally I thank the AOC Executive, formulate an early response. The committee for Rio’s Games in 2016. the Directors and staff for their Study Group comprised As I mentioned earlier in this report tireless efforts in making the AOC representatives of the AOC, the we are all excited at the prospect such a successful organisation and Australian Paralympic Committee of competing on the South American for the support they have given to (APC), National Federations, the continent for the first time. our summer and winter athletes Institutes and Academies of Sport, as they prepare for Olympic Despite the economic downturn National Elite Sports Council competition. (NESC), two former Directors and our exclusive marketing agent, Sports Marketing and Management, a Deputy Director of the Australian JOHN COATES AC Institute of Sport, coaches and has ensured we are on track to President, past and present Olympians and achieve our 2012 sponsorship Australian Olympic Committee a Paralympian. target of $36m. At this point we have achieved $31.6m. This follows They met on 2 December 2009 a $2.7m write-down of our USD and with the assistance of the denominated income from the professional staff of Event Knowledge IOC’s worldwide sponsors at an Services (EKS) (which we had also exchange rate of USD/AUD.90c. engaged to assist at the High Performance Forum and prepare the HPP) we were able to deliver the AOC’s Response to the Crawford Report to Minister Ellis and the 2009 Annual Report 5 MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE President Vice Presidents IOC Members in Australia JOHN D COATES AC, LLB PETER G MONTGOMERY AM, LLB R KEVAN GOSPER AO BA (Hons) Resident of Sydney, NSW Olympian (water polo) Dsc.