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Team USA to Use University of East London Campuses as Performance Services Centres During the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Wednesday 10 March 2010

Nirmal Borkhataria in Colorado signing the official “Memorandum of Understanding”

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) will utilise the University of East London (UEL) as its base of athlete performance services and logistical operations for the London 2012 Games in London in an agreement announced today by both organisations.

Team USA will use both the UEL Docklands and Stratford campuses at the university for training and support for its Olympic and Paralympic Teams. More than 1,000 athletes, coaches, scientists, medical practitioners and support staff will use UEL’s state-of-the-art facilities in the unique partnership.

UEL, Vice Chancellor, Patrick McGhee welcomes the deal, "UEL are delighted to host some of the world’s greatest athletes. We are serious about sport and this is an inspiration to UEL student athletes in their preparation for 2012. The partnership is also an opportunity to build the legacy that will continue beyond 2012 and into the future to boost participation in sport."

USOC Chief Executive Officer Scott Blackmun said “This is a great opportunity for our athletes and staff to use these excellent facilities at UEL and to enter into this partnership for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  We are looking forward to the next few years of this relationship with such an outstanding university.”

Team USA will be utilising UEL facilities such as the halls of residence, as well as setting up onsite sports science, medicine  and press/media centres as their sport performance and operational base. They will also use the stunning new £18million sports and academic centre at the Docklands campus. Provisionally named the Sports Dock, this is due to open in late 2011.

The centre includes a gym and fitness suite, a large indoor sports arena, ten badminton courts, two competition basketball , volleyball and netball courts, cricket bays, two five a side football pitches, a sports café  and covered seating for 400 people.

Members of UEL staff, including Nirmal Borkhataria - Executive lead and Paul Ford - Director of Olympic and Paralympic Partnership Operations at UEL, flew to Colorado to sign the official “Memorandum of Understanding” to officially secure the exciting partnership. Paul said “it is a privilege that the USOC have selected us for their 2012 U.S. Olympic training site, and this can be attributed to the hard work many UEL staff members have put in since the 2008 Beijing Games”.

David Cosford, Director of Sport at UEL said “We are delighted to take this fantastic step forward, which further shows how committed we are towards the 2012 Games. We are proud of our state of the art facilities at both campuses as they highlight the recent investments we have made. The agreement goes to prove just how exceptional they are.”

For more information, please contact Sara Hazzard , UEL Head of Communications and PR, 07894 512 995 or Hana Esselink, UEL Press Officer, 07595 056245

University of East London: London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Office

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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