YOU’VE SCOT TO BE JOKING
Tartan army demands compo after Games village lockout
FURIOUS Team Scotland is demanding compensation from Commonwealth Games organisers after being denied access to the Athletes’ Village. The Scots flew to the Gold Coast to ensure the accommodation was up to scratch but were locked out by developer Grocon. The feisty team told GOLDOC to tartan up their act and said they would seek money for a return visit when the village was ready. The sporran legion hinted the Gold Coast’s preparations were not up to the standard of Glasgow’s where Clyde the thistle (pictured) was the mascot.
TEAM Scotland has issued a scathing statement and is demanding compensation after they were denied access to the under-construction Athletes’ Village apartments while on a planning visit for next year’s Commonwealth Games.
Thirty officials representing 18 sports arranged an inspection of the Parklands village for yesterday but when they turned up to GC2018 headquarters were told its builders, Grocon, would not let them inside the units.
The officials were instead offered a bus ride through the village and a viewing of a replica apartment.
Team Scotland Chef de Mission Jon Doig OBE said the trip had been planned with GOLDOC over the past year and being locked out of the units was “extremely disappointing”.
He said organisers had granted teams full access to facilities when Scotland hosted the last Games in Glasgow and was “extremely surprised and disappointed that this is not the case in Australia”.
“The Games Village is the hub of operations for all competing teams, so viewing the apartments is critical to our space and operational planning and not being allowed in will have a significant impact on our ability to finalise our plans,” he said.
“We are particularly disappointed that having spent in the region of $65,000 of our development grant from GOLDOC to come here, that we are unable to conduct this important area of pre-agreed business.
“We will now be looking for additional funding from GOLDOC or their contractors to enable us to return and complete this vital area of work over the next few months.”
A statement from Grocon said access was not possible due to safety concerns on the active construction site.
“It is not safe for a group of 30 (plus GOLDOC reps) to be wandering through it during work hours,” the statement said. “Grocon, GOLDOC and the Queensland Government have a longstanding agreed protocol for site visits.
“GOLDOC only advised Grocon of Scotland’s request for a walking tour of the site last week and was advised at the time this would not be possible.
“Scotland is one of 70 participating nations, which highlights the need to carefully manage site tours.”
GOLDOC said they had arranged for the Scottish delegation to tour only the accessible areas of the village.
Neither GOLDOC nor Grocon would entertain funding a return visit by the Scots.