Oldham Olympic boost doubtful

MEMBERS of Parliament have today warned there is no guarantee that an Oldham sporting venue will host visiting teams ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.

The Commons Culture Media and Sport Committee has accused ministers of jumping the gun when unveiling a line-up of 600 facilities across the UK earlier this year — including one in Chadderton.

In its report published today it says there are no guarantees over which areas the Olympic teams will choose to base their teams, or even if they will require training camps in the UK.

Earlier this year the Radclyffe Athletics Centre, which includes an eight-lane synthetic outdoor track, was included on the list as a potential training site, along with seven Manchester venues.

MPs welcomed the move which they believed would be a boost to the borough’s economy with sports fans watching athletes train.

But the committee claims the announcement may have raised expectations beyond a reasonable level.

The report says: “The publication of the list of sports facilities that will appear in the London 2012 pre-games training camp guide generated substantial media coverage and it may have raised expectations beyond a reasonable level.

“There are no guarantees as to which areas national olympic/paralympic committees will choose for their athletes, or indeed whether they will locate themselves in the UK for pre-games camps at all.”

MPs warned that simply hosting the games will not mean a massive influx of visitors or a tourism boost.

It is expected 600,000 visitors will go to London, with 300,000 of those from overseas. In comparison, Wimbledon attracts 350,000 each year.

It will be up to the promotion of London and the UK as a whole as to how tourism can be boosted, MPs said.

The report says: “The principal tourism potential of the games lies in the positive legacy that would be created by the effective promotion and delivery of a top-class event.”

The committee has accused the Government of slashing funding for VisitBritain when it needed to showcase London and the UK on the world stage.

The report says: “It is not too late to realise fully the tourism benefits of the Games, but a greater investment is necessary.”