Chateauroux (France), July 28 (PTI) Norway shooting coach Tore Brovold, the silver medallist at the 2008 Olympics, is being forced to stay away from skeet shooters in the national team as there are not enough rooms available at the Athletes’ Village here.
Chateauroux, a quiet town in central France with a population of less than 50,000, is hosting all the shooting events of the Paris Olympics. It is a two-and-a-half hour train ride from the bustling French capital, leaving 340 Olympians pretty much cut off from the Games hub.
After completing the 270km long journey from Paris, one would struggle to commute within Chateauroux due to limited public transport, which is free for everyone.
For athletes, coaches, officials and media staying outside the Village, the only way to commute between the Games’ venues is via the transport provided by the Organising Committee.
Brovold, who has been part of four Olympics — two as a shooter and the rest as coach — ended up missing the training session with his team on Saturday with the organisers changing the bus timings overnight.
“These Games have been a disaster on the transport front. I went to the bus stop near the train station last night but this morning they changed the timings and the athletes had to go ahead with the training in my absence,” Brovold, who has also worked with Indian shotgun shooters, told PTI.
Due to limited availability of rooms, he had a choice to make: either stay at the Games’ Village at the expense of a shooter or stay at a hotel outside. Keeping in mind the best interest of the team, he chose the latter.
“I have also come to know that the organisers are offering free accommodation to visiting teams outside the village as they are short on rooms,” said the 54-year-old. PTI BS APA APA
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