Making the announcement today, Sports Minister, Edwin Poots, MLA, said: “The eight facilities will work together to create three multi-sport hubs, led by the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Bangor Castle Leisure Centre and Queen’s Sport, Queen’s University Belfast. Together they will offer the National Paralympic Committees an opportunity to train at camps that cater for 17 of the 21 Paralympic disciplines.”
The venues will all be included in the Guide, to be published at this year’s Games in Beijing. The Guide lists high-quality sports facilities across the UK, which are capable of hosting Olympic and Paralympic teams or individual athletes wishing to take part in the 2012 Games.
The Minister continued: “Northern Ireland’s facilities are the first to be announced in the UK. The full UK list of Paralympic Pre-Games Training facilities to be included in the Guide will be announced by the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) next week.
“In order to be included in the Guide, venues must be multi-disciplinary and capable of hosting an entire team who could be training for up to 21 different sporting disciplines.
“The venues selected from Northern Ireland are excellent examples of the high-quality sports facilities available. They will have a central hub and use a number of satellite venues to accommodate the visiting athletes.”
The eight venues from Northern Ireland to be included in the Guide are:
- Antrim Forum Complex
- Ballyholme Yacht Club
- Bangor Castle Leisure Centre
- Bangor Sportsplex
- Mary Peters Athletics Track
- University of Ulster at Jordanstown
- Carrickfergus Sailing Club
- Queen's Sport, Queen's University Belfast
The Minister said: “In March I announced that 27 venues in Northern Ireland were chosen to appear in the Guide as Olympic Pre-Games Training Camps. I want to see a legacy from London 2012 that will last far beyond the Games. Our aim is to host at least 10 Olympic and Paralympic Pre-Games Training Camps across Northern Ireland.
“We want to be a destination of choice for athletes and showcase our quality sporting venues and facilities in what will be the biggest show in town in the summer of 2012.”
Inclusion in the Pre-Games Training Camp Guide does not guarantee that the venue will be selected by a National Olympic Committee (NOC) or a National Paralympic Committee (NPC). The fact that they are included is the rubber stamp from the London 2012 Organising Committee that the facilities are suitable.
The Guide will be circulated to all NOCs and NPCs during the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer. These organisations will then decide where they base themselves or where to send individual athletes to prepare and acclimatise for London 2012.
LOCOG is offering a financial award of up to £25,000 to NOCs/NPCs to help encourage teams to base themselves in the UK.
Notes to Editors:
- This assessment process has amounted to an audit of facilities throughout the UK and has shown that there are many excellent sporting facilities available throughout the UK.
- Extensive details of the facilities will appear on a dedicated website showcasing the quality and variety of options throughout the UK which will help NOCs / NPCs decide where to train. The national tourism agency, Visit Britain, is developing this new website with LOCOG and will bring its experience of marketing destinations and tourism products to international audiences.
- Northern Ireland has a strategy for the London 2012 Games Sport Northern Ireland leads the sporting element of the strategy.
- Media enquiries should be addressed to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Press Office Tel (028) 9025 8901 or email press.office@dcalni.gov.uk Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
