British Shooting chairman resigns in London 2012 venue row

BRITISH Shooting chairman Phil Boakes is the latest casualty in the ongoing row over where to stage the sport's events at London 2012.

Boakes was forced to resign after defying his board of directors by claiming their preference to stage the sport at the National Shooting Centre in Bisley was unviable.

British Shooting remain opposed to the proposed £18 million temporary venue at Woolwich Barracks, claiming it offers no legacy for the sport.

London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton admitted earlier this week that Locog had a new venue in Barking in mind as negotiations with the British Army, landlords of the Greenwich site, over access continue without resolution.

Boakes landed himself in hot water with his membership after saying he accepted London 2012's argument that Bisley - 40 miles from the Olympic Village in east London - was too far away, a view also supported by shooting's international governing body.

However, British Shooting's board of directors later issued a statement correcting his position, saying: "British Shooting continues to seek a shooting venue for London 2012 which is a permanent 'bricks and mortar' legacy. 

"British Shooting therefore wish to make it crystal clear that their preferred option is to host the 2012 shooting event at Bisley. 

"We affirm that British Shooting will continue to work with Locog to maximise legacy opportunities and we will do all that is necessary to ensure that the shooting events at the Olympic Games are truly successful." 

However, Boakes has now stepped down, believing his position had been made untena ble.

Shooting - which last delivered an Olympic medal for Great Britain when Richard Faulds won gold in Sydney - was a major victim of UK Sport funding cuts - with its 2012 budget slashed by £3.84 million or 76 per-cent.