It has been some turnaround year for the Olympic Council of Ireland. They will now go into the Christmas season on a high after the Government decided yesterday to release the funding it had withheld pending completion of governance and operations improvements demanded as a result of the challenges to emerge post-Rio.
Making the announcement yesterday Minister Shane Ross said ““We are now in a position to fully restore Government funding to the Olympic Council of Ireland.”
“In taking the decision to release 2016 funding in September, I made it clear that full restoration would only be achieved if the OCI continued to make progress on its corporate governance reform agenda and addressed the legacy issues arising from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.”
“I am satisfied all twenty-five recommendations in the Deloitte report have now been addressed. Additionally, the conclusion of the OCI’s commercial relationship with the THG company draws a line under the unacceptable ticketing arrangements detailed in Judge Moran’s report.”
“There has been a complete transformation in the openness, transparency and accountability of the OCI when compared to the situation before the Rio Games.”
“In regard to funding for 2018 and beyond, it will, of course, be necessary for the OCI to maintain its commitment to the highest governance standards, and in particular that the membership of the Executive Committee of the OCI will comprise people of impeccable integrity.”
The sum of money at stake is €300,000 and that figure has had to be approved by Sport Ireland through whom the payment is made.
The OCI is treated differently to other sporting organisations who submit plans around programmes but also receive core funding to administer their sports.
The OCI must attribute everything to specific programmes aimed at athlete preparation and welfare.
“On behalf of the OCI I wish to thank Minister Ross and Minister Griffin for the decision to release 2017 funding and to restore normal funding arrangements from 2018,” responded OCI President Sarah Keane.
“We can now move ahead confidently with our athlete centred plans for 2018 and beyond.”
“The decision to restore State funding is recognition of the hard work that has taken place this year at the OCI to transform its governance arrangements and the efforts made to tackle some of the other legacy issues arising from the Rio Games.”
“The Board and staff of the OCI will continue to pursue our reform agenda as we face into a busy year for Olympic athletes in 2018. With the Winter Games in Pyeongchang and the World Youth Games in Argentina next year we have a very busy programme of work ahead of us to support our athletes and member federations.”
“Today’s decision gives us greater financial certainty following a year of enormous change and rebuilding at the OCI. Together with our Athletes’ Commission, we look forward to working with Sport Ireland, our Member Federations and other agencies of the State to implement our athlete centred programme of work in 2018.”
Image Credit Inpho Photography
