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The Australian Institute of Sport call their strategy compassionately ruthless – cycling team owner Michael Drapac calls it wrong.
The man behind the Drapac team has continued his attack on the AIS and its director Matt Favier, saying the elite national sports system is fundamentally flawed.
Drapac gave a lengthy speech at his team’s launch on Monday in Adelaide.
It was part-sermon, part-call to arms and a furious denouncement of any business or system that had a win at any cost mentality.
Drapac has taken aim in the last few days at the Australian Sports Commission and its Winning Edge program.
AIS director Mark Favier has disputed Drapac’s criticism and used the term compassionately ruthless to describe the body’s philosophy.
This predictably drew a sharp response from the cycling team boss.
“I’m still shocked and still appalled … they have clearly lost their way,” Drapac said.
“They are clearly out of sync with what the rest of the world are doing.
“The idea that we are compassionately ruthless in the development of sport – one negates the other.
“I don’t believe that anyone in the Australian government can possibly support a statement (this) philosophy – if it’s called a philosophy.”
But Drapac added he was buoyed by Favier’s concession that the system, and athlete welfare in particular, needed improvement.
The Drapac team have earned promotion to ProContinental level, one step below WorldTour, and have a wildcard entry into this week’s Tour Down Under.
Their owner is a passionate exponent of developing the riders as people, not just athletes.
“Of course we want to win bike races, of course we want to sell advertising,” Drapac said.
“But like all great companies, you never subordinate your values and ethics.
“You must maintain (them).
“We need to ensure that each of these athletes is acutely aware that one day the door of his sport will close … what are you doing to prepare for that day?.”
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