The Irish Sports Council’s review of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games was published today. The report revealed Ireland exceeded their medal target by returning with eight in total compared to four medals won in Athens.
The review called for continued state investment in sport but also asserted that "finance is no longer a barrier to Irish success at international level".
The review maintained significant improvements in performances at both the Olympic and Paralympics represented a tangible return on the increased State investment in high performance sport over recent years.
But the review recommends reducing the number of focus sports receiving investment in elite sport. The success of boxing, where Kenny Egan won silver while Darren Sutherland and Paddy Barnes returned home with bronze medals, plus the five Paralympics medals “demonstrates that top quality support systems can be created in Ireland and investment should be directed at those sports that can replicate their consistent and repeatable success”.
A Steering Group was set up in October last year to direct its quadrennial high performance review, known as the Beijing Review. This group was chaired by Judge Rory MacCabe, SC, and comprised Pat O’Neill and Gary Owens. It was assisted by an independent consultant, Dr Neil Tunnicliffe of Wharton Consulting.
“Our aim was to analyse the preparation and performances of 2008 with a view to making recommendations for the future,” said MacCabe at today’s launch in the Alexander Hotel in Dublin. “Previous reviews have served Irish sport well, mapping out a successful route to better structures and ultimately improved performances. My hope is that our objective analysis will lead to further improvements in the Irish sports system.”
John Treacy, Irish Sports Council chief executive, added: “Irish performances at the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games exceeded the targets set in the Athens Review and highlight the clear improvements being made by Irish sports people across many different disciplines at international level.
“Irish elite sport has demonstrated its ability to provide a return on the substantial investment of the Irish tax payer”.
As part of the review Tunnicliff interviewed representatives of all Olympic and Paralympic sports and relevant agencies, but the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) declined an invitation to participate.
The review received 28 responses to 55 questionnaires sent out to Irish Olympic athletes while receiving 72 responses from 79 sent to Paralympic athletes.