There are fears community sport clubs are at risk of disappearing entirely without government intervention. 

Australian Sport Foundation CEO Patrick Walker told Deborah Knight many local clubs are “run on the smell of an oily rag”, and the government grants that are available aren’t nearly enough to address the full scale of their strife.

Mr Walker said sport clubs are essential to the social cohesion, physical and mental health of the community.

“It’s an absolute crisis.

“We’re talking to clubs where 80 per cent of their sponsorship income is gone because the local pub or club or restaurant has gone under.

“There’s no elite sportsperson who didn’t start at the grassroots.”

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