Search is on for Birmingham 2022 boxing venues

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is inviting the best sporting facilities in the West Midlands to apply to become official training venues – including those which can host boxing.

It will give them the opportunity to host international athletes from around the globe.

Organisers are looking for Games Time Training Venues for 10 of the 19 sports on the Birmingham 2022 programme, providing essential facilities for 1,000 of athletes leading up to and during the Games, from 18^th July to 10^th August 2022.

Aside from boxing, the sports requiring training venues are: athletics, women’s cricket T20, hockey, netball, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, rugby sevens, swimming and triathlon.

Training venues are where athletes will fine tune their preparations for Birmingham 2022, so it is important that they have access to world class facilities to help them deliver their best performances in competition.

Hosting international athletes is a chance for venues to raise their profile, spread the economic benefits of the Games across the region, and inspire communities through their involvement.

Venues can apply to host one or several sports depending on the facilities they have available.

Training venues must be located within a 30-minute drive time of one of the three Campus Villages where athletes will be staying during the Games: University of Birmingham, University of Warwick and the NEC. Venues will be required for at least three weeks, from 18^th July until 10^th August 2022.

Ian Reid, CEO of Birmingham 2022, said: “The West Midlands is home to many excellent sporting facilities, from major competition venues to state-of-the-art training centres.

“We are looking for the best venues from across the region to work with us to help thousands of international athletes prepare for the biggest sporting event the West Midlands has ever staged.

“This gives us another opportunity to showcase even more of the region’s assets to the world in 2022, as well as inspire, engage and connect communities all over the West Midlands to feel part of the Games.”

Sports facilities can find out more about the criteria required to become a training venue at www.birmingham2022.com/trainingvenues. The deadline for applications is 30^th September 2020.

Facilities that aren’t eligible to become Games Time Training Venues could instead be considered as a venue for a pre-games camp, which will see some teams arriving in England early to acclimatise and finalise their preparations before the Games begin. Local authorities, facility managers and sports clubs can find out more about pre-games camps by emailing B2022trainingcamps@dcms.gov.uk