The Australian Sports Commission’s European Training Centre (ETC) was officially launched by the Minister for Sport, Mark Arbib, on 3 March in Italy.

Senator Arbib and Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates were joined by hundreds of Australian and Italian dignitaries and athletes at the opening of the new facility on the shores of picturesque Lake Varese in Gavirate, Italy.

The event generated strong media coverage, with one article hailing the ETC as one of the most significant developments in Australian sport since the creation of the Australian Institute of Sport.

Senator Arbib said the ETC would give some of our key sports a competitive edge.

‘We are up against the super powers of sport, in terms of the money being spent by other countries we cannot match it, all we can do is try to be smarter and more strategic about our resources,’ said Senator Arbib.

Australian Sports Commission General Manager – Sport Development Greg Nance suggested the value of the European training base shouldn’t be underestimated.

‘The aim of the ETC is to replicate the AIS's training environment and act as a "home away from home" for athletes. The mental, physical and financial costs of travelling back and forth between Australia and Europe are significant, but with the ETC we can alleviate a lot of that pressure and create a familiar and supportive environment like athletes experience at the AIS in Canberra.’

Nance continued saying, ‘The project management over five years by Steve Jones with the Italian architects and engineers, as well as Warwick Forbes’s attention to detail on functionality, have combined to ensure a first-class quality finished facility.’

Olympic cyclist Mick Rogers and Oz Rollers wheelchair basketball captain Brad Ness were on hand to show their support.

‘It is a huge asset for all Australian athletes coming to the London Olympics,’ said Rogers. ‘Knowing if you are injured that you are only a direct flight away from sports science and recovery people that you know and trust is great.’

Ness explained that with nine Australian team-mates playing for teams in Europe, the ETC is a big part of the Oz Rollers program.

‘Having so many players based in Europe for ten months of the year the ETC helps us come together and train as a team. The fact we can take a short flight, then train as a team and be back at our club sides in time for weekend games is a massive advantage for Rollers,’ said Ness.

The Australian Government contributed $12.5 million to establish the ETC and the facility is managed and operated by the ASC at a cost of around $2.5 million annually. The facility is available to all elite Australian athletes training or competing in Europe.