Female exodus a big worry

Other sports tempting

Don’t worry about the US or China – the greatest threat to Australia’s Olympic future comes from …

Australia.

There’s a war starting to bubble behind the scenes of our Paris Games campaign for the hearts of Australia’s most precious and underrated Olympic asset – women.

Women’s sport has exploded in Australia and with its surge in popularity comes a threat to traditional Olympic events such as track and field, rowing and other water sports that don’t pay as much.

AFLW, rugby league, netball and other codes are part of a women’s sports scene that has flourished beyond expectations over the past decade.

The average salaries of sportswomen in Australia – $151,000 for cricket, $76,000 for basketball, $74,000 for netball and $60,000 for Australian rules – don’t make the jaw drop but the figures look far more impressive when compared to earnings for those going to the Olympics.

“It’s a real concern,’’ said Sydney 2000 beach volleyball gold medallist Natalie Cook.

“The women’s hockey team is on $110 a week and they’re supposed to be professional athletes. It isn’t sustainable. We’re going to lose them.

“It’s the big question for sports like track and field, hockey and water polo. How do you keep athletes from jumping over to sports like AFL? I always feel the AFL and netball are our biggest threats.

“Some – such as the golfers, tennis players, soccer players and surfers – can make an ideal living and represent Australia in the Olympics. But in sports that don’t have that luxury, does it mean that our hold on those athletes is numbered?

“The new Pickleball league in Australia is making 10 times more money than I ever did as a beach volleyballer.

“You look at someone like (world champion javelin thrower) Kelsey-Lee Barber. What incentive can be provided for her to stay in the sport year after year?’’

Olympic basketball silver medallist Erin Phillips gave that sport away to become the AFL women’s best player. Richmond star Monique Conti, the competition’s most valuable player last season, dreamt of winning an Olympic basketball medal but the AFL opportunities have been too good to refuse.

The landscape is changing. Even Glynis Nunn, a revered Olympic gold-medal winning heptathlete, admits had she been starting out today, the temptation of rival sports would be strong.

“I reckon I would have liked to have played AFL,’’ she said.

“As a 10-year-old, all I wanted to do was represent Australia. Sometimes you can actually do both.’’

Australian Olympic Committee chief executive Matt Carroll is confident Australia’s Olympic campaigns will not be undermined by rival sports.

“It is more challenging, but the majority of Olympic sports have had women athletes for 100 years.

“The Olympic sports have been able to sustain their quality whether it has been rowing or athletics.

“Not everyone wants to be a rugby league player or an AFL player.’’