Australian Olympic Committee president Ian Chesterman has backed the AIS to become a "great icon in world sport" again, adamant the organisations had buried tension that led to a major divide after the Rio Games.
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AIS officials are in the midst of planning the biggest makeover in the campus' 43-year history after the federal government committed almost $250 million to infrastructure upgrades.
The changes - which will involve new accommodation, an indoor training facility and a high-performance centre - are aimed at making the AIS a hub for the build up to the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
The AOC has already voiced its support of the revamp, describing it as a "key part of the bigger picture". But less than a decade ago the AOC and the AIS were at loggerheads, with the way funding was allocated a source of tension.
It led to attacks on the AIS campus, with AOC officials accusing the institute of becoming a "ghost town" and "tumbleweed town" due to its lack of on-campus athletes.
It was all part of the bitter fallout from the disappointing medal haul at the Rio Olympics in 2016, but Chesterman made it his mission to rebuild the relationships.
That has been helped by an uptick in use of the AIS in recent years. More than 5000 used the facilities last year and that number is expected to boom when refurbishments are complete in the coming years.
The Australian men's water polo team is based in Canberra this week before flying to Europe and the rebuild vision is designed around making the site a year-round, 24-hour training hub for all athletes.
"The AIS was a marvel around the world. There's no doubt it has lost its shine a bit just because it hasn't been reinvested in," said Chesterman, the chef de mission for the Australian team three years ago.
![Ian Chesterman says the AOC and AIS will work together to chase Brisbane 2032 success. Ian Chesterman says the AOC and AIS will work together to chase Brisbane 2032 success.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/5408dfb8-fb05-4e59-a207-d3f7f715a8d5.png/r0_0_1200_675_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"So to revitalise the campus is important and I think it can be a great icon in world sport again. I think it will become a centre of excellence and really strong globally, and help us on the way to Brisbane 2032 for sure.
"We've definitely have a very strong working relationship with the AIS. Coming out of Rio there was some tension and was there a hiccup? Yes there was.
"But leading into Tokyo I went to great lengths to work closely with [former AIS boss] Peter Conde.
"Sport is about people and we need to be able to support our athletes in the best possible way. Part of that is having fantastic training facilities, sports science, sports medicine and recovery and analytics.
"The AIS provides that hub for global excellence. With the new accommodation there will be more reason for athletes to come here. There's a strong commitment from both sides to work collaboratively and we're all moving forward."
There are just 50-odd days until the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris, with high hopes Australia will build on a record-equalling 17 gold medals at Tokyo three years ago.
Chesterman, who played a key role in bringing the team together in Japan, said anticipation was building and there was a massive uptick in travelling support groups after they couldn't get to Japan because of COVID-19.
"The Australian sports system is going well. Sports are doing it tough in terms of the funding side at the moment. Hopefully that improves, but we know our athletes have busted a gut to get there," Chesterman said.
The AIS will play a massive role in what happens beyond that. The campus, despite ageing facilities, has been thriving in recent years as athletes tap into some of the best sporting minds in the world to seek an advantage.
Soon the facilities will match the brilliant athlete and coach support, with the new accommodation expected to attract more athletes more often.
The indoor dome will allow 24-hour training for a variety of individual and team sports, and the testing centre will improve more training venues.