- 5 Nov 08, 07:48 PM
I lived and worked in Germany as a foreign correspondent for nearly 10 years in the 1980s and 1990s and I was always amazed at the sports facilities in the country.
Every small town I visited seemed to have an athletics track, large swimming pool or a multi-sports complex and Germany's facilities for elite sport regularly attracted world championships to the country. Whenever I returned to Britain, especially during holidays in London, I thought our facilities were second class, sometimes third class, in comparison.
I still believe that is the case in London.
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There is an assumption that foreign teams will definitely set up their training camps around the UK in the run-up to the Games.
Wrong.
My French sources tell me northern France is already gearing up to attract an array of teams. In terms of getting to London they will have a shorter journey from there to east London than from other parts of Britain.
And southern Germany has hosted the Australian swimming team before major events in Europe before and I would not be surprised to see other teams heading to the great facilities there.
We've got to wake up to the fact that - with the greatest respect to centres in Bath, Loughborough and Sheffield - our sports facilities are still behind the rest of Europe at virtually every level.
That is why I am not surprised that residents in Fulham were complaining to me the other day about a local field being renovated for a major international polo event rather than for Olympics sports which are more popular with local children.
Hurlingham Park used to have a popular athletics track. But the grass has grown over it in the last decades and Hammersmith and Fulham council decided to dig it up this week in order to prepare the field for the polo event next June.
The council says it "wants to bring polo to the inner cities" and officials says the surface of the grass will be improved for the local community. That's fine - a rugby club do play there - and they are getting £250,000 from the sport of polo to make this happen. I'm sure that will save money from council tax payers.
But some residents say it would have been better to rebuild the track so that it could be used by local schoolchildren who are inspired by the 2012 Games to run.
We do need more athletics tracks, like the Germans. We do need to create more multi-sports centres which are just around the corner for our kids.
I'm afraid that 10 years on from my days in Germany, this country still looks second class in that respect.
The Olympics could be used to change that at every level but the government, local councils and Lottery bodies need to do something about it.
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Hi Adrian,
You've said it all! I remember by last visit to the US in Atlanta, it was a perfect world in terms of sports facilities and accomodation. Everything is intact including some sports make shift complexes.
These guys could host major events without xtra preparation and i think the same thing should apply to London. As a medical consultant [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator] i know little about sports but certainly not about facilities
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Dear Sir
The regional myth exploded. So what benefits for the nation as a whole then?
Can I also bring attention to the following?
Lottery Funding:
It was recently announced that some £310 million had been raised for the Olympics.
At 28p a ticket going to good causes, that means that the British public has spent just over £1.107 Billion.
With 50% going on prizes, the British public is out of pocket to the tune of £553 million. (All helps with the credit crunch era!)
There again, as Adrian Moorhouse said at the Beijing Games.
"People buy lottery tickets to win money not back sport!"
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Why is this council promoting polo. Why does it not promote the fact that it has closed the Castle Club for children within a stones throw of the park, increased meals on wheels charges by £200 a year and broke an election promise by introducing care charges. It'sgood at getting the diggers out to build a polo field what about getting them out for building social housing for those on the housing list rather than scrapping plans like they did at White City.
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Agree with everything you've written Adrian. Our facilities are an embarassment compared to other countries and even with the financial incentive, who can blame them not wanting to base their camp here. Some local facilities in my area have been put forward and they are shoddy at best and haven't seen proper investment in years. If any new development is ever proposed to be built the usual arguements are always put forward, ie, they'll be more cars in the area or it isn't in character with the area. It would be nice to have a multi sports centre with proper facilities instead of having sub standard facilities based around the borough.
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On the background of the situation you described the London games are good opportunity to think over local sports facilities across the country. The major events in Germany have been the 1972 Munich games and the 1974 and 2006 World Cup that have led to an updating of many venues and their security standards.
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Adrian - If you know much about Hammersmith and Fulham, you will know that there is an international standard athletics track only a few miles away at Linford Christie Stadium. There hasnt been a track at Hurlingham Park for over 20 years.
I think bringing polo to Hurlingham Park is an excellent idea.
I understand that the council has negotiated hard with the polo organisers so that they will be investing a massive £250,000 into the park.
This money will be spent of improving the sports facilities in the park for local people to use.
This is a good news story for the people of Fulham.
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