Bid to lure 2012 Olympians for training
Athletes are to be lured here to train ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London as the Government seeks to get a lucrative slice of the greatest showcase on earth, it was revealed today.
Over the next six years, Ireland will be promoted to nations around the world as the perfect place to train, prepare and relax in the months before the games.
Already touted as major attractions are the National Aquatics Centre in west Dublin, the planned Sports Campus Ireland at nearby Abbotstown and the National Coaching and Training centre in Limerick.
A new indoor athletics track could also be on the cards.
Several countries considered heavyweights in the world of athletics, Germany, USA and Brazil, have approached the Olympic Council of Ireland with a view to coming here in the run up to 2012.
John O’Donoghue, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, said it was a unique opportunity which Ireland should not miss out on.
“London 2012, will allow the people of Ireland to experience the excitement of the Olympic Games at close quarters,” he said.
“This creates a potential for raising enthusiasm and an appetite for sport in people, particularly the young and in this way our proximity to the world’s largest sporting event in 2012 could produce a lasting legacy.”
A task force made up of sports, business and tourism executives has been put together to target teams and promote Ireland as the perfect training base for the games.
It will work closely with officials in the Sports Council in the north.
But Mr O’Donoghue insisted Ireland was not feeding from the scraps of the host’s table.
“There’s no question of envy or jealousy. There’s enough to go around,” he said.
The group chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, Philip Furlong, will examine all opportunities, identify the priority areas of interest and plan a strategy to ensure Ireland will benefit from the games.
Its members include Gillian Bowler, chair of Failte Ireland, Olive Braiden, Arts Council chair, John Fitzgerald, former Dublin City Manager, Pat Hickey, President of the Olympic Council of Ireland, Sean Kelly, executive chairman of the Irish Institute of Sport and Noel Murphy, former President of IRFU.
Mr O’Donoghue said London 2012 should be used to promote Ireland and our culture, open up new markets for tourism.
He also said Irish business of all sizes could secure some of the substantial construction schemes, supply services before and during the games.
Mr O’Donoghue said 2012 would provide a massive boost and lasting legacy for sport in Ireland.
