Features

Rotherham Venues Make List for 2012 Training Camps Guide

Rotherham’s top sporting venues have been submitted for a new Olympic publication, helping to spread the cultural, economic and sporting benefits of London 2012 as widely as possible.

Rother Valley Country Park and planned indoor leisure facilities in Maltby, Aston and St Ann’s join a total of 30 county venues submitted for a guide to the very best UK sporting facilities compiled by the South Yorkshire International Training Camps Steering Group.

The publication will provide an insight into where international teams can prepare for the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012. It will be published in 2008 and distributed worldwide to all national Olympic and Paralympic committees ahead of the .

The full list of 30 South Yorkshire venues will be able to accommodate almost all of the 36 Olympic sports and all 20 Paralympic sports.

John Mothersole, Executive Director of Development, Environment and Leisure for Sheffield City Council, said: “South Yorkshire has employed an extremely pro active approach to put so many prestigious facilities forward for this guide. Not only would the hosting of future training camps provide the city and its region with financial benefits, it would also provide a catalyst to help inspire local communities to support the Games and benefit local businesses through the provision of support services including accommodation, transportation, medical services.”

Steve Brailey, Chief Executive of Sheffield International Venues, said: “Everyone has really pulled together to submit so many venues for this guide, showing just what can be achieved when South Yorkshire works together. The guide represents a great opportunity for the region to promote our expertise and to attract international teams of athletes, bringing cultural, economic and sporting benefits to our region.”

Based around the UK, Olympic camps will offer the chance for cities beyond London to host international sports teams, helping athletes acclimatise before the Games and helping to spread the cultural, economic and sporting benefits of the Games as widely as possible.

Last year London 2012 announced contributions of up to £26,000 for all National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees to assist them in setting up Pre Games Training Camps in the UK.

The contribution will especially help teams and athletes from small nations who would not otherwise have the financial resources to prepare their athletes for the 2012 Games.

Key players from across the region including representatives from Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield, Sports Pulse, Sheffield International Venues and MLS make up the South Yorkshire International Training Camps Steering Group.

Ahead of London 2012 Sheffield has already become the training HQ for the GB men’s and women’s volleyball squad, home to the Amateur Boxing Association of England and was used as a training camp for the Saudi Arabia wheelchair team in preparation for the Gulf Games in Autumn.

Now the submission is complete each of the 30 venues must undergo a rigorous assessment programme to determine their suitability for elite sports usage.

Final selection for inclusion in the guide will be made by the London 2012 organising committee for inclusion in the guide on January 10 2008, before it is distributed to National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees on July 31 2008.

Note: The South Yorkshire 2012 Steering Group was formed to look at how Sheffield can maximise the benefits with regards to sport, culture, economic, social and environmental objectives from the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
The group has identified various strands of opportunity associated with the 2012 Games – development of sports participation in Sheffield, the staging of major events, the hosting of international training camps, progressing sports business opportunities, athlete development and elite programmes and tourism benefits.
Key players from across South Yorkshire including representatives from the South Yorkshire Local Authorities, Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield International Venues, SportsPulse, Sheffield First for Investment, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry, South Yorkshire Destination Management Partnerships make up the group.
The group feeds into the Nations and Regions Steering Group via regional steering groups including the Yorkshire 2012 Steering Group which includes members from Yorkshire Culture, Sport England, Yorkshire Forward, Yorkshire Tourism and covers Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, York and Hull.

Released on behalf of the South Yorkshire 2012 Steering Group by HR Media Ltd. For more information contact Alexander Mills at HR Media on .

« Features Index