Little did we know when we raised the issue of various sports losing funding after the completion of the Olympic Games – Pain in the AIS – that we would hear of non elite sporting organisations causing a little angst amongst their members or those who fund them.
It appears that there are several sporting organisations, who are receiving very large sums of financial support to run their sport from the Department of Sport and Recreation or their offshoot the Government agency, Healthway, who are by all accounts ‘not playing fair.’
Apparently a number of these organisations are not spending this money on developing the game as is the aim, but on areas that should be in the main self-funding. A case in point is Football West who are paying an outside consultancy to look at the staffing structures within their organisation. This has been deemed as an irresponsible use of funds by some. Surely this should fall under the CEO’s remit. With only around twenty staff members it would on the surface appear to be an unnecessary expense and something that should be sorted out internally. It is interesting that this is only being addressed now when the structure was highlighted as dysfunctional to the board over three years ago, prior to the current CEO taking charge and several of the current board were elected.
Football West are apparently not alone in seeking outside assistance, and it may be harsh using them as an example, but the word is that closer attention may well be paid in the coming twelve months as to how Government funding is being spent. Expect more accountability in the future from the Boards of these organisations, who ultimately authorise such expenditure. Those handing over the money are said to be looking to tighten the control on the spending of funds appropriately, which is in the main given so that the various bodies can grow participation in each of their sports.
