The current situation:
-The Australian Sports Commission uses a model named Australia’s Winning Edge (AWE) to determine how each sport is funded and supported.
-When AWE was introduced in early 2013, BMX Australia were not required to, nor provided the opportunity by the AIS to present an AWE submission for high performance funding from 2012-2022. Off the back of Olympic success this was seen as an oversight.
-In June 2014 BMX Australia presented a performance case submission to the AWE assessment panel for BMXA to manage its own high performance unit including the AWE funding allocated to BMX.
-A change to the high performance arrangements mid-Olympic cycle was seen as too great of a risk and the AIS determined they would continue to provide BMXA’s high performance funding to Cycling Australia to administer the BMX Australia campaign. In the interests of BMX athletes, BMX Australia accepted the view of AIS for the Rio Olympic cycle.
-In November 2015, BMX Australia again presented its case to the AIS for BMX Australia to manage its own high performance unit including the AWE funding allocated to BMX Australia.
-The AIS has again rejected any consideration to transfer management of high performance to BMX Australia.
Why management of high performance should be by BMX Australia
Aligning with AWE to create a development pathway for our members
-Since 2006, Cycling Australia has offered only the high performance aspect for BMX Australia. However under the AWE model, this is a direct contradiction of the governance principles that underpin the AWE, with principle 1.1 making clear that: A single national entity for all forms of the sport — from juniors through to high performance — with horizontal integration of sport disciplines
-“Each element of a sport needs to be incorporated into governance arrangements on the same basis. Only a sport that is fully integrated in this fashion can plan strategically for the benefit of the whole sport and operate with optimal efficiency. Effective integration is critical to achieve the scale and whole-of-sport management that enables a sport to grow and compete in the marketplace.”
-For a period of time, BMX enjoyed the support of an AIS National Talent Identification (NTID) program to develop emerging athletes.
-This program ceased at the end of 2008, with the need for a high quality underpinning program to replace NTID not prioritised by Cycling Australia which was seemingly unconcerned with the pathway for athletes to reach such a level.
-BMX Australia stepped in to facilitate a camps-based program to replace the NTID program, an initiative taken without support from the Cycling Australia run high performance program.
-BMX Australia have since reviewed and revised their strategic direction and as a part of the newly developed 2015-2018 strategic plan have set a direction for high performance.
-The strategy set out by BMX Australia sets a clear athlete pathway of horizontal integration from juniors to high performance, in particular the recently launched BMX Australia Development Academy is a product of this process.
Feedback provided:
-In 2012 BMX Australia became concerned about the welfare of Australia’s Olympic BMX representatives due to the feedback from athletes that there was a perceived lack of support from Cycling Australia
-Following this BMX Australia identified a clear gap between the expectations of the high performance unit for States to develop riders to a high performance level and the capacity of State coaches to drive this. Consultation with Cycling Australia, national coaches, high performance riders and states saw no resolution attained.
-Out of this BMX Australia created their self-funded Development Academy.
Other models prohibit junior competition:
-Following the implementation of the AWE philosophy and mandatory governance principles for all NSO’s, if BMX high performance continues to be managed by CA (a separate NSO) it has the potential to open up a Pandora’s box of further contradictions of the ASC’s own mandatory governance principles - if they allow one contradiction why wouldn’t they allow more, for example participation funding?
-If this was to occur, it would be expected for our current BMX membership to fall into line with their existing policies. An especially concerning example would be CA’s current Junior Cycling Policy which prohibits riders under the age of 13 from competing at state and national events, as well as international events. That is not what our sport is about.
-Such a policy would preclude our younger riders from participating at world championships, while other countries are developing their riders on a world stage. This would be detrimental to the pathway for our athletes and the competitiveness of our sport and have the potential to impede their elite or professional race careers and sponsor opportunities
Summary:
BMX Australia has taken all reasonable steps to satisfy the ASC’s requirements to manage its own high performance program. There has been a concentration by BMX Australia on the athlete pathway and for the sport to be aligned with AWE principles. This is in an effort to directly benefit our members by provided a seamless athlete pathway.
BMX Australia is concerned for the long-term future of this sport. BMX has strong membership, and a high medal winning potential at international events.
This move is about horizontally integrating our sport as the ASC have set out in AWE, and providing our members with the support on the athlete pathway they deserve. With increased funding for high performance and management of that aspect, BMX Australia will be able to fully implement the 2015-2018 strategic plan.
Take me to the petition!