Money to chase success in events that matter

The days of New Zealand sports automatically getting a chunk of Government money are over.

Sports funding agency Sparc made that clear yesterday with the release of its high performance strategy through to the London Olympic Games of 2012.

Nine sports will share up to 70 per cent of a $33 million pot.

And while there is provision for strong individual athletes or teams getting a chunk of financial support, the report makes it clear with its mission statement how the next six years are being viewed through Government eyes.

"New Zealand athletes and teams winning in events that matter to New Zealand" is aimed at streamlining funding and putting the bulk of financial support into those sports whose national appeal is rated the highest by Sparc's board.

So rugby, cricket and netball have been targeted to win world championships by 2012; and athletics, cycling, rowing, sailing, triathlon and swimming are also eligible for high performance investment.

The aim is for them to collect at least 10 medals at the London Olympics.

If successful, that would make the Games New Zealand's most successful since the 11 won at Seoul in 1988.

The report will make grim reading for several sports, notably basketball and hockey, and others such as golf, tennis and a host of other middle tier sports, such as badminton, table tennis, shooting and boxing, who can all expect a chilly blast of financial downsizing.

The other 30 per cent of the funding pie is split two ways.

Up to 25 per cent is termed 'contestable funding' and will be put towards sports outside the Big Nine who have the ability to perform successfully at top international events, and is on a project investment basis to be assessed on relative merit alongside other bids.

Five per cent is aimed at world class athletes from sports outside the Big Nine, such as Olympic canoeing silver medallist Ben Fouhy or Commonwealth Games shooting champion Graeme Ede, who can present a strong case for backing.

Sparc chief executive Nick Hill admitted the hardest part was deciding who would be left out of the nine. But he was unapologetic at having made the tough calls.

And if it sounds mean-spirited towards those outside the Big Nine, he said the egalitarian tradition whereby most sports were entitled to a cut of the taxpayer-funded financial action and decide what to do with it was over.

"This is not that," he said.

"We are behaving like a bank. We're saying, 'Where can we put it?' Here are our objectives - where can we put the dollars to have the best chance of success?"

To those sports who are not among the big winners, he said they should look at enhancing their junior programmes, think long term and the 2016 Olympics. And if that sounds tough, well tough.

"The bar has risen considerably and is rising all the time," Hill said. "All the structures that have driven sports in the past are still there. But the gap to the podium is much greater now. That's the challenge. How do we help New Zealanders close that gap?"

Sparc believes that for the next six years, the sports identified yesterday offer the best chance of top level success. It believes the whole process of funding has been tightened up and will become more transparent.

Hill said: "We've been fairly methodical but we are really excited about it.

"It's about creating a world class environment, world class coaches and support structures and being uncompromising about that."

Rugby, the country's richest sport, had to be included, Hill said, bearing in mind New Zealand hosts the 2011 World Cup and the place it occupies in the national sports pecking order.

"In 2012 what will really matter to New Zealanders in terms of success on the world stage? Rugby has to be there. It's at the heart of who we are," Hill added.

Other key aspects of the report:

* The need for world class coaches, and developing pathways for coaches to replace the incumbents at national level.

* Having a "centre of excellence" blueprint ready by June next year with the aim of having at least two centres, one in each island, operating by the end of 2008, as well as satellite centres for specific sports, such as sailing, rowing and winter sports.

* Having a national training facility plan in place by December next year.

* Having specialist sports services, such as sciences and medicine, concentrated round five centres in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

* Beefing up the sharing of information among sports, and encouraging organisations such as universities and research institutions to become involved with sports.

SETTING KEY TARGETS

NZ OLYMPIC RECORD

2004: 5 medals (3 gold, 2 silver 0 bronze)
2000: 4 (1-0-3)
1996: 6 (3-2-1)
1992: 9 (1-3-5)
1988: 13 (3-2-8)
1984: 11 (8-1-2)

THE MISSION STATEMENT

To have "New Zealand athletes and teams winning in events that matter to New Zealand".

TWO KEY TARGETS

By 2012 New Zealand are world champions in cricket, rugby and netball. Prospects: Cricket maybe; rugby good; netball very good

New Zealand to win 10 or more medals at the London Olympic Games

OTHER WINNERS

Swimming, rowing, sailing, triathlon, athletics and cycling will have high- performance support to 2012

WHERE THE MONEY GOES

Up to 70 per cent of high-performance investment is aimed at the sports which matter to New Zealand

Up to 5 per cent is targeted at world-class athletes in Olympic (top 16) and non-Olympic (top 8) sports

The other 25 per cent to be available for sports with the ability to compete creditably at Olympic, Commonwealth, Paralympic and sport-specific world championships which "matter to New Zealand"