SUPPORTERS of Australia’s paralympic soccer team the Pararoos have taken their fight to save its federal funding (“Pararooted”, Perth Voice, July 19, 2014) to the Australian Sports Commission’s major sponsors .
The team, which includes local goalkeeper and state representative Chris Barty, had virtually all its funding pulled by the ASC because they weren’t considered a chance to qualify for the Rio Paralympics in 2016.
The ASC has a controversial policy of channeling most of its resources into real Olympics prospects, angering critics who say it comes at the expense of grassroots sports, which are important in fighting obesity.
Pararoos coach Paul Brown, who ignored an ASC demand to keep quiet about the axing of the funds, started up an online petition which has scored almost 80,000 signatures.
He says the commission has gone silent and doesn’t appear ready to listen, so he’s urged signatories to needle major sponsors Gatorade and Nestle.
Gatorade’s Facebook site was peppered immediately. A benign posting about the AFL ladder had 125 comments within three hours calling on the sports drinks manufacturer to put pressure on the ASC.
by STEVE GRANT
Perth Voice Interactive 
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