ASA CALLS FOR £100M INVESTMENT IN 50M POOLS
The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) is calling for £100m
of investment towards new swimming facilities to enhance Britain's
chances of success at the London 2012 Olympics while leaving
a legacy for a healthier nation.
A lack of 50m, long course pools has been a major issue for
Britain's swimming elite for decades but with the 2012 Games
just over the horizon, as well as new Government targets on
increasing health and beating obesity, the ASA is calling
on the powers that be to invest in swimming facilities across
the country.
"This vital investment would double the numbers of 50m
pools in this country overnight," said ASA Facilities
Officer Noel Winter. "At the moment we have just 21 long
course facilities throughout Britain. This is less than European
cities such as Paris and Berlin but with £100m investment
we could greatly increase this figure.
"We are in dire need of more 50m pools in this country.
The ASA recognises that to give the British athlete the best
chance of competing and enjoying success at the London 2012
Olympic Games we need to give them facilities.
"But this call for investment isn't just about elite
athletes. These facilities would offer a real legacy to a
public which is continually asked by the Government to become
fitter and healthier but lacks the pool space to meet these
needs."
The ASA's call for swimming pool investment follows a damning
watchdog report this week that described sports centres and
swimming pools across the country as crumbling after years
of neglect.
An Audit Commission report blamed local authorities and their
reluctance to spend money on sport as the major reasons for
decline in the numbers and quality of sports facilities, two
thirds of which are over 20 years old.
"Money is needed to ensure we have a new stock of 50m
pools across the entire country," said Winter. "Around
£5m can make all the difference to pools that are in
the planning stage. It's the difference between actually being
built or not being built.
"Therefore the ASA calls upon authorities and agencies
to make the necessary funds available to realise this Olympic
dream as well as increasing participation and improving the
health of a nation for years to come."
A new stock of pools would go towards improving the situation
revealed by the watchdog report which said "the general
stock of sports centre has deteriorated in quality" and
blamed "historic low funding and poor management"
for this reason.
This investment would also reverse the alarming statistic
within the Audit Commission findings that the number of new
pools and sports centres built has dropped by more than half
since 2003.
"Across the country there are plans to build new pools
but they won't see the light of day because of a lack of investment,"
said Winter.
"This £100m figure would allow these projects
to be realised and would meet needs highlighted in the report.
The outcome would only be a positive one as the new 50m pools
would also have a direct impact on the health and well being
of a nation.
"All the statistics show that 50m pools get more use
than 25m facilities. These new, well-managed aquatic centres
would be a real boost to tackling obesity while benefiting
our Olympic prospects.
"If we want to have a successful 2012 Olympics the athletes
have to train in 50m pools. It really is as simple as that
but we haven't got those pools at our disposal at the moment.
There just aren't enough of them.
"Our young stars of tomorrow need the facilities today
and £100m will provide them with the essential element
to make the most of their talent.
Olympic medallist David Davies is backing the call for investment
and is a prime example of how utilising a 50m pool in preparation
can benefit in performance.
"At the moment the British athlete is at an immediate
disadvantage because the majority of us train in short course,
25m pools while all the major meets, including the Olympics,
are in long course, 50m pools," said the Cardiff-based
swimmer.
"We do our best with what we've got but I spend 70%
of my time training in a 25m pool because the closest long
course facility is a two-hour round trip away.
"Since the 50m pool in Swansea opened I am able to train
there up to four times a week and that has improved my swimming
no end. If I had the option though I would train full time
in a 50m pool as it's the only way we can compete to the best
of our abilities against the rest of the world."
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