Should Olympic athletes be made to payback?

Caught this question last week on a TV deabate and thought it would be interestng here.

Do people think that athletes who attend the AIS or residents there should repay their training costs through a HECS style system?

The TV show suggested people like Lleyton Hewitt should pay back ( last time i checked he paid for his coaching personally)

Got me thinking though, Swimmers that are succesful on the international stage usually get endorsements and get media opportunites etc all thanks to tax payer funded training.

Would Patty Mills be where he is without the tax payers footing his training costs? If he cracks the NBA should he be looking at donating back?

Should they be made to cover their costs say once their post glory days competing are over and they earn say more than 50k per annum?

Topic #16801 | Report this topic

Kingjames
Years ago

Yeah its an interesting topic. I would think if they make a certain amount of money that they should have to pay back. However, these people represent the country and give the country a better image and thus could have an even better economical value then what their training cost. So I would say for that reason they shouldn't have to pay it back.

Reply #197657 | Report this post

Anonymous
Years ago

and the people who get degrees dont James?

Reply #197658 | Report this post

playa
Years ago

de atletes n actars r a level above de ordinry peeps n dat is why dey earn more $$$$$ n r heroes ta millions !!!

Reply #197661 | Report this post

eastern lowland gorilla
Years ago

i study music and if you make 1 million a year from it or $100 you still have to pay back the 7k a year. why should only the successful athletes back the money back?

Reply #197674 | Report this post

Anonymous
Years ago

No you don't ELG.

If you make only $100 you won't hit the HECS threshold (around $40k). If you never earn the threshold you'll never have to pay-back the HECS (which is interest free (except CPI) as well!)

Reply #197676 | Report this post

Moses Guthrie
Years ago

I totally agree with amending the rule so the AIS tuition and scholarship must be paid back ..... but only once my kids have been through the system. ;-)

Reply #197678 | Report this post

Anonymous
Years ago

Should apprentices have to pay back their initial employers if they move on?
The issue's bigger than the tall poppies.

Reply #197684 | Report this post

Anonymous
Years ago

Playa is an ideal example of why athletes need every cent they get

Reply #197705 | Report this post

eastern lowland gorilla
Years ago

$100 from playing music i meant

Reply #197721 | Report this post

Beantown
Years ago

An interesting conversation guys. This issue reminds me of how much our society relies on the good will and hard work of many people.

Whether it is training to be an elite athlete, learning a trade or studying a degree, people in positions of authority put immense time and money into developing young people with no real guarantee of any return. But I think the reward of seeing some fulfill their promise is so great, that people will always be eager to mentor the next generation.

In the end, it is pretty hard to force someone to give something back to society, but fortunately a lot of people do willingly, including top athletes.

I am not sure exactly what financial perks top Oympic athletes get, but perhaps their high media profile does afford them a bigger slice of the pie than your apprentices and degree students. It would be nice if your average joe who becomes an accountant, carpenter, brickie or desk jockey.

One thing I would like to see is NBL teams changing their mindset towards allowing contracted players to go to Europe and even the NBA for free. It is becoming a cut throat world out there for basketball and I don't see Euro clubs handing over their best players for free. NBL clubs (and local clubs and the AIS) invest a lot of time in young players and we should look at trying to get some money invested back into Aussie basketball so we can continue to attract good young atheletes and develop them effectively. A lot of Euro soccer teams survive in just this way - by developing and selling on their best players.

Reply #197792 | Report this post

Hoops

Should Olympic athletes be made to payback?

Recent Posts