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REJECTED -ARCUS *ONES %DITOR 5%! 3PORTSPARK HAS REJECTED AN OP PORTUNITY TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO BECOME A TRAINING VENUE FOR THE ,ONDON /LYMPICS $ESPITE HAVING AN /LYMPIC STANDARD SWIMMING POOL ATHLETICS TRACK LARGE SPORTS ARENA AND GYM FACILITIES THE 3PORTSPARK WILL NOT BE JOINING MORE THAN OTHER FA CILITIES IN THE 0RE 'AMES 4RAINING #AMP 'UIDE WHICH WILL BE PUB LISHED AT THIS YEAR S "EIJING GAMES +EITH .ICHOLLS $IRECTOR OF THE 3PORTSPARK CITED A NUMBER OF REA SONS FOR THE DECISION INCLUDING THE NEED FOR HOUR CATERING AND EXTRA SECURITY TO BE PROVIDED (OW EVER THE PRINCIPLE OBSTACLE WAS THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE FACILITY BE COMPLETELY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR UP TO A MONTH -R .ICHOLLS TOLD #ONCRETE h4O CLOSE TO OUR USERS FOR FOUR WEEKS AS WE WOULD BE ASKED TO DO WOULD ACTUALLY COST THE 3PORTSPARK AT LEAST
a 4EAMS ASK FOR EXCLUSIVE USE OF THE VENUE SO EVEN IF IT WERE A FENCING TEAM NO ONE ELSE COULD USE THE SWIMMING POOL GYM ETC FOR A MONTH v #ONCRETE CONTACTED THE PRESI DENTS OF ALL THE 5NION SPORTS CLUBS TO ASK THEIR OPINION AND THE VAST MAJORITY SUPPORTED THE 3PORTSPARK S DECISION h4HERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE 3PORTSPARK HAS MADE THE CORRECT DECISIONv COMMENTED .ICK 0ULLEN 4ABLE 4ENNIS #LUB 0RESIDENT h) REALLY CAN T SEE ANY BENEl T OF THE 3PORTSPARK HOLDING A NATIONAL TEAM WHEREAS THE COST TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY SEEMS MAS SIVE v 4HE ,ONDON /LYMPICS BEGIN ON TH *ULY AND ANY TRAINING VENUE WILL PROBABLY BE IN USE FOR ROUGHLY ONE MONTH PRECEDING THIS START DATE MEANING THAT STUDENT SPORT WOULD EXPERIENCE LITTLE DIS RUPTION AS THE UNIVERSITY TERM OFTEN ENDS IN EARLY *UNE )N LIGHT OF THIS 5NION 3PORTS /Fl CER *AMES 4URNER FEELS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY MAY HAVE
BEEN MISSED h)F THE CLOSURE WAS IN TERM TIME THE 3PORTSPARK S DECI SION WAS CORRECT AS STUDENT SPORT WOULD HAVE SUFFERED (OWEVER IT WOULD PROBABLY BE OVER THE SUM MER SO THE 3PORTSPARK HAS MISSED A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HOUSE SOME WORLD CLASS ATHLETES v )N A STATEMENT ON -ARCH RD 3EBASTIAN #OE CHAIRMAN OF THE ,ONDON /RGANISING #OMMITTEE OF THE /LYMPIC 'AMES ,/#/' DECLARED THAT h;BEING A TRAINING VENUE= ALSO PROVIDES A GREAT OPPOR TUNITY FOR TOWNS THROUGHOUT THE 5NITED +INGDOM TO GET INVOLVED IN OUR PLANS 4HE PROCESS WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH SHOWS A GREAT SPREAD OF HIGH QUALITY FACILITIES THROUGH OUT THE 5+ THAT CAN BE USED BY ELITE LEVEL ATHLETES v 4HERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE 3PORTSPARK COULD BE CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THESE hHIGH QUALITY FACILITIESv AND THERE IS SUR PRISE IN SOME QUARTERS THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO m AUNT THIS h-Y OPINION IS THAT THEY SHOULD ALLOW THE ATHLETES TO TRAIN THERE BECAUSE
IT WOULD GIVE THE 3PORTSPARK A FUR THER SELLING POINT TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTSv SAID ,UKE 4HURSTON &UT SAL #LUB 0RESIDENT 5LTIMATELY HOWEVER INCON VENIENCE TO REGULAR USERS PLUS THE l NANCIAL IMPEDIMENTS HAVE RE SULTED IN THE 3PORTSPARK S REFUSAL TO JOIN THE BANDWAGON -R .I CHOLLS CONl RMED THAT VENUES USED AS /LYMPIC TRAINING CENTRES RECEIVE ONLY a TO HELP PROVIDE THE HOUR CATERING AND ADDITIONAL SECURITY A l GURE WHICH GOES LITTLE WAY TO OFF SETTING THE PROJECTED QUARTER OF A MILLION POUND LOSS -R .ICHOLLS ADDED h7E WOULD INCONVENIENCE OUR REGULAR USERS IN CLUDING ANY STUDENTS REMAINING ON CAMPUS AND HAVE TO REFUND THEM THEIR DIRECT DEBIT PAYMENT FOR THE MONTH POSSIBLY DRIVING SOME OF THEM AWAY PERMANENTLY TO OTHER SPORTS FACILITIES )T COULD ALSO HAVE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR PRICES IN THE LONGER TERM AS WE WOULD PROB ABLY HAVE TO RAISE PRICES TO RECOUP THE SIGNIl CANT LOSS v
0RIZES 'ALORE 4HE GREAT %VENT GIVEAWAY /VER PRIZES TO BE WON THROUGHOUT OUR WONDERFUL ENTERTAINMENT SECTION 4HE %VENT &EATURES
)TgS THE END OF THE SPRING TERM 4IME FOR 3T 0ATRICKgS $AY P -ORE PRIZES 7IN A $IVINE %ASTER %GG *UST TURN TO THE FOOD PAGE P