March 14, 2010

A group opposing the use of historic Greenwich Park for equestrian events at the 2012 London Olympics says the venue involves too many compromises for competitors and spectators.

The organisation, No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events (NOGOE), says the efforts by Games organisers to use Greenwich park shows a determination to fit "a quart into a pint mug".

The organisation says use of the park would have serious implications for the technical aspect of the sport.

Nogoe has also taken issue with the submissions of games organisers to the Greenwich Council for planning permission to use the park.

The hearing will take place on March 23.

Nogoe claims that the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) did not tell the entire story over its consideration of other potential venues for equestrian events.

"LOCOG stated in the application that, at bid stage, the eight venues considered included Windsor and four other well known venues - Badminton, Burghley, Blenheim, and Stoneleigh - up to 100 miles away from London," Nogoe said.

"These four venues would have contradicted their 'compact' Games policy, if it were true. But it is not, because, according to the British Equestrian Federation Feasibility Study 2003, the four venues were not considered and Windsor, while considered, was not visited.

"In truth, the eight venues that were considered included five other options in London."

Nogoe says it has also learned, under a Freedom of Information Act request, that no cost-benefit analysis was carried out on comparative sites. It believes Greenwich Park would not be the cheapest option.

The organisation also argues that the venue would not comply with International Equestrian Federation (FEI) regulations.

"LOCOG is failing to comply with the FEI's technical specs for Olympic Parks.

"Facilities for stabling and training are fewer than that set out in the specification. It was initially stated that only one discipline (eventing, showjumping or dressage) would be staged at a time, involving 50-80 horses.

"Scheduling now shows that dressage and showjumping will run concurrently, resulting in up to 130 horses all trying to use the limited supply of training rings for six days.

"It would not be the perfect environment for athletes to compete."

Nogoe argues: "The spectator experience would not match up to the expectations at traditional equestrian venues. Getting to Greenwich would be a nightmare. Extensive concerns have been expressed about the public transport chaos that competitors and spectators would have to undergo."

Nogoe Co-ordinator John Hine said that, should planning permission be granted, it would be too late for the equestrian community to say "we didn't know".

He claimed that, from an equestrian perspective, this competition would come to be known as "The Compromise Games" - compromises to the training and exercise facilities for the competitors; compromises to safety and security; compromises to the spectator experience - "and all because LOCOG wanted an urban, iconic setting".

Nogoe is a community-based group campaigning for these events to be moved to an existing equestrian venue where sustainable facilities could be left as a legacy for the sport.

It says all facilities at Grennwich Park would have to be installed and then removed.