Australian sports are set to receive a A$2M ($1.5M) "financial injection" in the countdown to the Rio Olympics, with Cycling Australia in line for a A$400,000 ($304,240) boost to its high-performance budget from the government, and the "less likely sport of table tennis also among the winners," according to Samantha Lane of THE AGE. Baseball and softball are "set to share a relative windfall" of about A$1.4M ($1.1M) between them for high performance due to the "likelihood of those sports being added to the summer Olympic program for Tokyo in 2020." Australian Sports Minister Sussan Ley is preparing to announce developments next week when a new, simpler, investment model for sports participation is "also unveiled." National sporting organizations like Cycling Australia have "not formally been notified yet of where they stand with high-performance funding in the crucial last 15 months before the Rio Games." With some final approvals pending, it is "expected they will be informed exactly where they stand by the end of this week." Badminton Australia and Squash Australia are the only Olympic sports in line for a "notable shave in their next annual high-performance distributions from the AIS, while table tennis is poised" to receive a A$200,000 ($152,120) budget increase (THE AGE, 6/1).
