The move, agreed by the Council’s Executive Committee, today (Friday, November 28, 2008) will be aimed primarily at Commonwealth countries in the developing world. It will be run in partnership with Culture and Sport Glasgow, sportscotland and the 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Company.
Councillors agreed to spend £90,000 on the project. Athletes would get access to training venues, free support services, such as sports medicine at the National Stadium at Hampden and sports science at the city’s universities, and some accommodation subsidies.
The facilities would be available to around 100 athletes from a range of Commonwealth countries for a two-week period prior to the 2012 Olympics. The sports involved include badminton, athletics, gymnastics, football, boxing, judo, Taekwondo, wrestling, weightlifting and table tennis.
Many of the Commonwealth countries competing in the London 2012 Olympics will be smaller and/or poorer nations in the developing world, with small teams and relatively poor domestic training facilities.
Councillor Archie Graham, Executive Member for Commonwealth Games Delivery, said: “We gave a promise when we won the bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games that we would put something back into the Commonwealth.
“This policy will allow us to do exactly that, particularly for some of our cousins in the Commonwealth whose facilities are less well-developed.
“These nations could potentially benefit significantly from having access to Glasgow’s venues, and other support services in areas such as sports science and sports medicine and coaching support in the weeks leading up to 2012.
“Glasgow has a range of world-class facilities that any national team could use to prepare in the best possible way for the London Olympics.
“Our demonstrated ability to meet the requirements of athletes, organise events of the highest quality, and provide outstanding accommodation as well as offering stunning cultural and social opportunities, marked Glasgow out as a very attractive host city for the pre-2012 training camps.
“In addition, our work for the 2014 Commonwealth Games means that our facilities will be absolutely state of the art as the London Olympics approach.”
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games is offering each country £25,000 to establish training camps at accredited venues, three of which are in Glasgow: Palace of Art Centre for Sports Excellence; Scotstoun Leisure Centre; Toryglen Regional Indoor Training Centre.
However, organisations are also free to arrange camps at venues which have not been accredited but they cannot publicise any association with the London Olympic brand.