Sports administrator and former Labor government minister Mark Arbib said the AFLW and NRLW pose a threat to the country’s future successes on the international sporting stage, after he was appointed chief executive of the Australian Olympic Committee for the run-in to the 2032 Brisbane Games.
The 53-year-old has served on the AOC’s executive committee since 2016, and has been central in preparations for the 2032 Games as chair of the AOC’s Brisbane Legacy and Impact Committee. He was previously a federal government sport minister and president of Athletics Australia for six years until 2021.
Arbib said it was an honour to lead the Australian Olympic movement. “The Olympics are the pinnacle of sport – both in Australia and across the globe,” he said. “To be chosen as chief executive of the Australian Olympic Committee, with a home Games in 2032, is an incredible opportunity to harness the power of the rings to inspire and advance our nation.”
AOC president Ian Chesterman said Arbib’s experience runs “deep and wide” and he has demonstrated a passion for athletes. “Mark is highly skilled in the workings of the sports system having served as president of Athletics Australia for six years,” he said. “Together with his experience in government, business, fundraising and philanthropy, I look forward to him bringing his unique and compelling skillset to the operations of the AOC.”
Arbib said one of the biggest challenges he will face at the AOC is competition from other sports for athletes. “I’m a big fan of the NRL, and I’m a big fan of the AFL, I love those sports, but they are absolute commercial giants, they’re juggernauts,” he said.
“They are hugely successful at what they do, they’re expanding now, their women’s competitions are extremely successful, so we’re competing for talent now in the women’s sports space. What I don’t want to see is that impacting upon our results, Australians want a successful team.”
Brisbane 2032 will serve as the AOC’s “northern star”, according to Arbib, helping convince young athletes to choose Olympics sports over others.
“We need to ensure that we are inspiring kids to join us, to become Olympic swimmers, to become Olympic athletes, that’s the dream.”
From his experience as a trade unionist in the 1990s, Arbib rose quickly in the right faction of the NSW Labor party in the 2000s. In 2007 he was elected a NSW senator at the age of 35, and was the first Labor frontbencher to publicly back same-sex marriage in 2010.
As a so-called “kingmaker”, he played a major role in the party’s tumultuous period when in 2010 Kevin Rudd was replaced as prime minister by Julia Gillard. But the saga triggered a change in his career. Arbib sensationally retired from politics in 2012 to help the party “heal” following the first of three leadership spills faced by Gillard, and he subsequently pursued opportunities in sport and media.
Arbib replaces Matt Carroll, who chose to resign to provide his successor with enough time to prepare for the 2032 Brisbane Games. The new chief executive commences in the role on 5 May.
