Train in Vain
Foreign teams that don’t set-up training camps in the UK before the London 2012 Olympics will not be eligible for a share in the £9m fund originally promised by Sebastian Coe during London’s bid to host the Games.
Under the scheme, each country will receive money towards the cost of their preparations when they reach an agreement with one of the 600 London 2012-approved training camp facilities. And a number have already signed up with cities and towns in Britain. Jamaica and the United States will be based Birmingham, by way of example, while the British Virgin Isles will train in Ashton, Hertfordshire.
Coe originally offered the grants during the bidding process, but was forced to withdraw after opposition from rivals, including Paris. Having won the pitch, however, in October 2006 he announced that London would honour the promise, with each of the 205 National Olympic Committees and National Paralympic Committees eligible for up to £25,000.
But other European regions are hoping to enjoy some of the economic benefits of the Games themselves. Pas de Calais launched ‘Mission 2012’ this year, a multi-million pound marketing campaign, successfully wooing Uzbekistan, Senegal and Chad, one of the poorest members of the Olympic movement, which will miss out on the London grant as a result.
“I consider that we are the south of England, and because we’re the south of England it’s normal that we would associate ourselves with this extraordinary event,” Dominique Dupilet, head of the Pas-de-Calais’ county council, said shamelessly.
.gif)