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Home » News » Boxing lands Sheffield as its Olympic base
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 | Boxing lands Sheffield as its Olympic base |  |
Sheffield will be the focal point for British boxing success at the London Olympics. Leading sport and leisure operators Sheffield International Venues has signed a four year deal with the British Amateur Boxing Association for the 2012 squad to be based at its English Institute of Sport centre in Attercliffe. Boxing had been based at the same venue preparing for the Beijing Games. James DeGale returned with a gold medal, with team captain David Price and Tony Jeffries taking bronze medals. Sheffield City Council will contribute financially to the venue hire costs for the sport over the next two years. It has also committed additional financial support should boxing bring multinational training camps to the City. Under the new deal announced today, which follows an increase in the sport's funding from UK Sport after success in China, the BABA will significantly step up its operations based on the facilities at EIS Sheffield and the partnership support available in the city. It sees:
· New performance director Kevin Hickey overseeing a re-vamped elite set-up· An expanded programme for the elite and development squads as well as regional squads · The development of master classes featuring current and past stars of the sport· Stepping up of coaching and evaluation teams - with a focus on new training methods, strengthening and conditioning · Increased involvement with the EISS athletic services team headed up by former athletic Olympic silver medallist Peter Elliott· Extending already successful partnership working with various agencies and organisations in Sheffield. BABA Chairman Derek Mapp, who is re-structuring the sport, said: "Sheffield and our base at the English Institute of Sport will be a high performance centre of excellence which will capture the attention of the rest of the world and with the capacity to deliver what the sport want s - success in 2012. "Following successful discussions with Sheffield International Venues we are delighted to build on the previous relationship and the partnership with the city to agree a four year deal for elite amateur boxing in Britain to be based at EIS Sheffield." Sheffield International Venues Chief Executive Steve Brailey said; "The four year deal is proof of the strength of the sporting offer now available in Sheffield through our facilities which also include international class facilities such as Ponds Forge, Don Valley and iceSheffield, and our experienced support team." Cllr Roger Davison, Cabinet Adviser for Culture and Leisure at Sheffield City Council said: "The confirmation that boxing is basing itself and expanding its programme in Sheffield is testament to the sound partnership work that is going on here. The Lighting the Flame partnership involving Sheffield City Council and SIV amongst others, has helped secure BABA and their athletes to remain in the city in the lead up to 2012."More elite athletes at the highest level of boxing will be located in Sheffield which will impact positively on the community programme, providing local people with an opportunity to get involved with one of the leading Olympic sports. BABA's location here will also help to attract major boxing events and international training camps, further raising the profile of Sheffield as a sporting city." · BABA will hold an open day for boxing coaches and people associated with the elite boxers at EIS Sheffield on May 10 |
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