The Australian Institute of Sport’s status as an Olympic Training Centre was renewed today with the Australian Olympic Committee and the Australian Sports Commission signing an important agreement.

Minister for Sport Mark Arbib and Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President John Coates unveiled a new set of Olympic rings at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), which will serve as added motivation to some of Australia’s best athletes leading in to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Senator Arbib said the agreement demonstrated that the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and AOC shared a common goal in supporting Australia’s Olympic athletes.

“This agreement recognises the pivotal role the AIS plays, along with our state and territory institutes and academies, in providing our elite athletes with the best possible training and preparation for the Olympic stage,” Senator Arbib said.

“By working together across elite sport we will increase our chances of success at the 2012 London Olympics.

“That’s why the Gillard Government recently announced that 10 Olympic sports would share in $2.5 million in targeted funding under the Green and Gold Project.

“The Green and Gold Project is designed to give our athletes the best possible training and preparation – the best coaching, sport science and resources and facilities.”

Coates praised the spirit of cooperation that underpins the new agreement.

“With a renewed focus on high performance sport and a renewed cooperation between the AIS, ASC and AOC, we can now concentrate on turning our national sporting partnership in to medals,” Coates said.

“The Green and Gold project will provide Australian sport with a targeted and timely investment into the Olympic program – embracing the challenge of achieving a top five result in London.

“The AIS has a global reputation for producing elite athletes. Its track record over 30 years speaks for itself.

“Athletes such as kayakers Clint Robinson and Ken Wallace, archer Simon Fairweather, cyclists Ryan Bailey and Anna Meares, and swimmer Petria Thomas to name a few – all AIS athletes, all Olympic Gold medallists.

“By conferring Olympic Training Centre Status on the AIS, the AOC is acknowledging the critical role it plays in producing champions.”

Senator Arbib said the Olympic Training Centre Status was recognition of the AIS as one of the world’s leading sports training institutes.

“The little things can often make a big difference for athletes, and this agreement will help to give our athletes the edge when chasing Olympic glory,” Senator Arbib said.

“In the face of fierce international pressure the Government remains committed to elite sport and will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Olympic Committee, the Australian Sports Commission, the AIS and our state and territory institutes and academies to back our national sporting bodies.”

Today’s announcement makes the AIS the eighth Olympic Training Centre recognised by the AOC. Six State Institutes of Sport and the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia also meet the criteria - http://corporate.olympics.com.au/index.cfm?p=42  

ASC and AOC