Cricket, golf, rugby league, sailing, skiing/snowboarding and surfing were the only other sports to achieve the "above target" rating from the ASC which, for the first time, has publicly released a report card on each of the sports that receive funding from the Federal Government body.

In 2012 the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) launched a new programme called Australia's Winning Edge which provides funding for sports in relation to performance.

Based on their performance progress in 2013, each sport was scored between one and five on the Sports Tally 2014 report.

It assesses how each sport performed overall, including in the areas of governance and participation, also indicating the amount of funding the Government invests in each sport as a percentage of the sport's total revenue.

No sport achieved the top mark of five which equates to "excelling" while judo, motorcycling and weightlifting were all considered to be "underperforming" and were scored with a mark of one.

Judo is one of three sports considered to be under performing by the ASC Sports Tally 2014 report ©Getty Images



ASC chairman John Wylie claimed Sports Tally 2014 was a significant assessment of each sport's performance that reflected the Commission's commitment to accountability for tax payer funding and Australian sport.

"This is the first ever publicly available report card on how AIS-supported sports are performing," Wylie said.

"We have set clear and ambitious goals for Australian achievement in international sport and we believe this reporting framework through the Sports Tally is an important step along the path."

Australia has topped the medal table at every Commonwealth Games since Edinburgh 1986 and the ASC and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) expect the team to do likewise this summer in Glasgow.

Australia are the reigning netball world champions and are going for a third Commonwealth Games title this year while the lawn bowls team are ranked number one in the world.

Both teams are expected to feature strongly for gold medals in Glasgow while there are also high expectations in swimming and athletics which received a score of three indicating that they are "on track".

Swimming is one of seven core sports that receive annual funding of more the AUS $5 million (£2.8 million/$4.6 million/€3.4 million) from the ASC and it is expected to provide the majority of medals at Glasgow 2014 with a target of between 53 and 55 medals.

Swimming Australia has been praised for its restructuring following a poor performance at the London 2012 Olympic Games ©Getty Images



Following the country's worst performance at an Olympic Games since Barcelona 1992, when Australia returned home with only one gold medal from London 2012 amid accusations of alcohol abuse, bullying and breaking of curfews, Swimming Australia conducted an internal review and underwent a raft of changes to key personnel.

John Bertrand replaced Barclay Nettlefold as Swimming Australia President, former Hockey Australia boss Mark Anderson replaced Kevin Neil as the governing body's chief executive, while former British head of swimming Michael Scott was drafted in as the new high performance director and Dutchman Jacco Verhaeren as the country's new head coach.

Wylie welcomed the changes at Swimming Australia and also the efforts of Cycling Australia which has been undergoing financial problems and has appointed Gerry Ryan as its new President and Adrian Anderson as an interim chief executive.

"I commend the united approach taken by sports to embrace reform, no better exemplified than by Swimming Australia which has, through its renewed leadership, implemented significant constitutional change and an improved team culture," said Wylie.

Australia is also expected to win at least 13 gold medals in Paralympic sports at Glasgow 2014.

The ASC distributes $130 million (£72 million/$120 million/€87 million) each year to a range of national sporting bodies.

To view the full Sports Tally report click here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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