When reflecting on the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, Kieran Mulvey, who served as the chairman of Sport Ireland during that time, vividly remembers the challenges encountered by the Irish contingent. The Irish team endured numerous setbacks, including a lackluster medal tally of two silvers, a positive drug test from the boxing team, a highly disputed judging verdict, a conspicuous protest by Michael Conlan, and the unanticipated departure of head coach Billy Walsh. Not forgetting the infamous Olympic ticket fiasco that resulted in the detainment of Pat Hickey, the then Olympic Council of Ireland leader. Consequently, these events led Mulvey to label the Rio Olympics as a complete shambles.
In the aftermath of the Rio Olympics, significant changes were initiated by Mulvey, Paul McDermott, director of high performance at Sport Ireland, and the then CEO, John Treacy, in a bid to avoid a repeat of these disappointments. Their concerted efforts bore fruit eight years later when Ireland celebrated its most fruitful Olympic campaign yet. They achieved the medal target, winning five to seven medals, and also recorded competitive performances by reaching 16 to 19 final events and making it into numerous top 10 rankings. Ireland also expects to secure between 17 to 23 total medals once the Paralympics finishes, hoping to clinch 12-16 medals in these games.
On a less tangible front, an unprecedented atmosphere of excitement and positivity surrounded the Paris Olympics. The period after 2016 witnessed a noticeable increase in governmental funding for sports, although the role of financial input in Ireland’s sporting triumph cannot be viewed in isolation. McDermott, who commenced his tenure with Sport Ireland in its maiden form, the Irish Sports Council, in 1999, highlighted the indispensable aspect of time and emphasized the necessity of establishing strong foundational frameworks for the industry. A regime was needed in which the available funds could be effectively utilized.
Despite some functional frameworks being in existence, the post-performance analysis on Rio denounced the over-dependence of Olympic sports on inconsistent and overextended state funding. In comparison to nations like New Zealand, Australia, and Denmark, the review report inferred that Ireland’s overall investment was inadequate to persistently compete and maintain a commendable standing in key competitive stages across various Olympic games.
In order for Ireland to progress, an influx of funds was necessary. This was at a time when the Olympic movement was riddled with a massive credibility issue, exemplified by the Hickey controversy. The state of Irish Olympic sport had been chaotic, marked with several narratives of haphazard treatment of athletes, dubious business governance, and an environment characterised by strife and discord.
“Over the years, instances of internal conflict within regulating bodies have been frequent,” Mulvey mentions, “It’s rare for a month to pass without an argument cropping up regarding the appointment of chief executives or coaches.”
Sport Ireland intended to establish a stronger presence among the governing bodies, Mulvey recounts. He said they provided the funding and thus needed to be more influential. They could not allow governing bodies to replace CEOs after a year or hire underqualified coaches without the experience to succeed at worldwide, European, or Olympic games.
Mulvey said that they vigorously lobbied political leaders to put emphasis on enhancing the Sport Ireland training campus and the Sport Ireland institute which offers assistance to coaches and athletes, and to implement changes.
Hickey’s Olympic Council of Ireland was reinvented as the Olympic Federation of Ireland, led by Swim Ireland’s CEO, Sarah Keane, who will vacate her post as federation president at the close of this year.
This transition carved way for political investment. However, broader goals were centred on national strategy and public relations.
“From 2017 and beyond, our mindset was majorly dictated by the concept of bolstering our international reputation and stature as a small nation,” reflects former Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar. He says the term “an island at the heart of the world” was a common catchphrase during his tenure.
Varadkar’s vision was for Ireland to command a more substantial international presence through increased number of embassies and a seat on the UN Security Council. He also advocated for the promotion of Irish arts and sports on a global scale.
Funds were injected into these initiatives: €59 million was allocated for the Tokyo cycle which was quickly eclipsed by €89 million towards preparations for Paris.
The strategy was clever, incorporating the recruitment of athletes residing in Northern Ireland who were eligible to compete for both, the UK and Ireland. This approach bagged two out of four of Ireland’s gold medals at the Paris games via Daniel Wiffen and Rhys McClenaghen, both from Northern Ireland.
Mulvey observes that for many years, Team GB has been consistently recruiting athletes from Northern Ireland, offering them accreditation, funding, and necessary facilities, all in an effort to further the sporting momentum. If Irish Olympic sport is to experience a monumental shift in Paris, McDermott recognises the growing financial burden associated with high performance.
According to him, the international carding scheme, a financial aid programme for elite athletes’ training and competition initiatives, needs to expand. This means hiring more coaches and offering more services; The key is to continue investing in what works, identify and fill any gaps, and to keep fuelling this endeavour.
Mulvey emphasises the need for a multi-annual sports funding model, akin to the three-year plan agreed upon recently for RTÉ. He argues that a four-year pledge towards high performance for sports bodies needs to be established. The best acknowledgement of athletes, he believes, is a funding commitment four years ahead, allowing them full focus without distractions or uncertainties – something the government should prioritise for the athletes.
Debates on funding decisions within governmental circles are in favour of Olympic sport during budget allocations. However, the concept of multi-annual funding faces opposition among senior officials. Anticipating the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the Minister of State for Sport, Thomas Byrne, emphasises their determination to enhance high-performance sport investment as much and as soon as they can.
He suggests that any hike in high-performance sport investment must primarily outpace inflation, and it should be their goal to increase the total sum invested in the LA run by several millions, over the €89 million already invested in the Paris cycle. He hints at a “record amount” of capital funding for facilities due to be announced in September. An ongoing tender process for a national velodrome, predicted to be worth over €60 million, is also noted. Byrne believes that this year could signify a crucial turning point for Irish sport.
Tax incentives for investment, as suggested in this year’s Tax Strategy Group papers, are also being evaluated as part of the budget planning process.
Mulvey believes that Paris provides a vital chance to instigate a real shift in Irish Olympic sport, shifting away from the repetitive narrative of partaking in the initial heat and then the event being finished. He suggests that Ireland must strive to leave behind the concept of being a nation that can outperform the expectations.
“We have now dismissed that phrase- we’re matching up on similar standards”, he articulates.