NEW MULTI MILLION DOLLAR TRAINING FACILITY OPENS IN ITALY FOR AUSTRALIA'S ATHLETES
AOC, March 4: A "mini AIS" opened for business in Varese, Italy today and already sports are queuing up to go there and prepare their athletes for the 2012 London Olympic Games and other major events.
The $12m facility, funded by the Federal Government, was officially opened by the Sports Minister Senator Mark Arbib who described it as "crucial for our athletes in the lead up to London."
Based on the AIS in Canberra, the European Training Centre (ETC) is situated about one hour north of Milan and boasts the latest in sports science, sports medicine, gymnasiums, recovery pools and five star accomodation.
At least 15 sports will call it home as they train for the London Olympics. Australia's table tennis athletes will be the first through the door in a fortnight. There is a wheelchair basketball team coming in April.
The Varese facility is designed to overcome what Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President John Coates calls the "great tyranny of distance and will give our athletes an edge over their rivals at the Games."
It eliminates the vast distances athletes need to travel to and from Australia as well as the enormous cost of moving teams to Europe. Instead they will live and train on Lake Varese.
"It is just not feasible to go back and forth to Australia," Coates said.
Senator Arbib said Varese "is a replica of the AIS and is a critical piece in the puzzle in the lead up to London. The lake is ideal for rowers and canoeists and the quiet roads are perfect for our cyclists."
He said the facility is not just for Olympic and Paralympic sports and he expects a large number of non-Olympic sports to book in.
The facility is the first of its kind built in a foreign country with the full support of the Italians.
Local Italian athletes and their Olympic athletes will also be able to train at the complex which will allow Australian teams in residence to compete against their Italian counterparts.
The AOC and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) signed a cooperation agreement in October 2010. Australia's best coaches will be based in Varese and will assist the Italians.
John Coates believes Varese will help the Australian Olympic Team in London.
"This facility can lift us to fourth or fifth place in London, it can mean the difference between a silver and gold medal."
Senator Arbib said today the "comeback king" Ian Thorpe would be welcome anytime if he wanted to take up residence.
The AOC used today's occasion to also formerly invite an Italian Team to compete in the next Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) in Sydney in 2013.
The President of the Italian Olympic Committee, Giovanni Petrucci, described the Australian complex at Varese as "a laboratory for success and for experimentation, where to breed talent."
Mike Tancred in Varese
AOC