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Boris Johnson today proposed a last-minute compromise to save £20million on the sports venues for the London Olympics.
The Mayor has dropped his opposition to staging the Olympic shooting competition in a new £43million venue at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich. But he will insist that badminton and rhythmic gymnastics must be held at Wembley Arena instead of a purpose-built temporary arena at a saving of £20million.
The agreement to keep shooting in Woolwich is a victory for Olympics minister Tessa Jowell, who argued that the local council would have to be awarded another Olympic sport as compensation. In return she has supported the Wembley Arena option.
The deal will be put to the Olympic board on Thursday.
Reader views (1)
Can anyone explain why an agreement to provide compensation even if a venue is proved unsuitable and therefore not eventually used is given, BEFORE its suitability is checked out? Anything less is crass incompetence.
Woolwich has been shown a poor choice from the outset when shooting bodies pointed out it was too small and ranges cannot be fitted into the available sapce safely. That has recently now been proven true.
The British Army did not (Sir Richard Dannat said so in this newspaper months ago)and does not want it there now; and nor do most thinking shooters.
It may be a nice place but it was always too small and unsuitable and has now been properly examined and PROVEN so. To safeguard Army staff and their children in the barracks a 62 feet high screen is now to be put up in front of it.
Providing an 'iconic backdrop' was the last defence put up in favour of this venue by those in government and LOCOG pressing for it (namely Coe and Jowell).
Now, when even that is blown out of the water they come up with a compensation clause.
IF that clause had been properly put in place, WHY is it only now being mentioned?
We need answers, and someone needs a very severe talking to.
How much IS that compensation? If less than £20Million it would STILL be cheaper to move to Bisley, or eleswhere, and also provide a legacy. Lets get something right, and fair, and a legacy out of this unravelling and wasteful fiasco. Richard of Worcester
- Richard Atkins, Worcester. England, 16/10/2009 16:06
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