Scale-down talk sparks fears

Serious concern from what are termed the "second-line" sports is growing amid reports that the plans for Sports Campus Ireland in Abbotstown are being scaled down.

Swimming is certain to get its 50-metre pool because it is required for the Special Olympics in 2003, but other facilities may be dropped from the revised plans.

The tennis proposals currently include the provision of 10 indoor and 20 outdoor courts, with seating for up to four thousand at one of the outdoor arenas.

Furthermore, extensive sports science and medical facilities, which would benefit all sports, were part of the original plans, as was a multi-purpose, 15,000-seat arena.

A firm of consultants was called in during the summer to examine the development and a report has been presented to the Government.

"There is nothing official yet," says the chief executive of Tennis Ireland, Des Allen. "But the word on the street is that there will be a scaled-down version of the original proposal. Our concern is that the second line sports facilities may not survive.

"That's a precise concern I have, and there is a degree of agreement between other governing bodies. Our concern is based on some hard evidence, but also on a lot of discussion we've had with governing bodies in other sports."

Tennis Ireland has a combined membership of over 50,000 people, with a very high percentage of those players.

Cycling, which would hope to have a velodrome incorporated in the Abbotstown site, is also anxious about the contents of the consultants' report, which may be brought to Cabinet this month.

"I would be very worried that the non-major sports like cycling would be most affected," says PJ Nolan, president of the Federation of Irish Cyclists.

Another factor is that federations have developed their long-term plans with Abbotstown in mind. Tennis Ireland has begun to work with world-renowned Belgian coach Ivo Van Aken, who has recently helped bring two Belgian players, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, into the world's top 10, and has been working with Tennis Ireland in designing the centre of excellence at Campus Ireland.

Under his direction, five under-12 boys have begun intensive training programmes. By 2005 there will be 20 players involved, at a minimum cost of £10,000 per anum, half of which will come from Tennis Ireland.

"The concern is obvious," says Allen. "The easy thing would be to chop these facilities. If that were to happen it would have very serious consequences for tennis in this country, and for other federations as well."