It's been Australia's most successful Olympic medal campaign ever - but the Australian Sports Foundation says that only 26 per cent of the Australian Olympians in Paris are receiving support from a sporting body.
The remainder have been self-funded to achieve their Olympic dreams.
The A-S-F says ongoing financial stability would not only benefit athletes, but boost the national sports results.
Athletes in Australia are supported through various channels — targeted government grants, corporate and philanthropic platforms.
The level of government support varies, depending on the sports organisation, as well as the athlete's results.
The Australian Sports Foundation runs a dedicated platform to help athletes fundraise for any specific needs that might help their career.
The non-profit says there are now more than 1,200 individual athletes, ranging from lower level to elite Olympic level represented on the platform.
The athletes' pledges range from a couple of thousands to tens of thousands dollars — to cover, among other things, travel costs, training, equipment, or physiotherapy.
In August 2023, the A-S-F released the "Running on Empty" report that stated that half of Australia’s elite athletes were earning less than $23,000 a year, which put them below the poverty line.
![[kt] Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain speaking in Federal Parliament.](https://assets.sbs.com.au/dims4/default/bc9ba3f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8256x4644+0+430/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsbs-au-brightspot.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F67%2F84%2Fadbfe5cb4756aefd7f300d6b3fe4%2F20260331160991618420-original.jpg&imwidth=1280)
