GSLA CEO highlights Gibraltar is “very well equipped” to push for more international events
Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authority CEO Reagan Lima was very clear that not only was his authority fully aware of the standards required for international competition to take place in Gibraltar, but that it was always looking to maintain those standards when providing facilities.
Speaking to this newspaper during the recent launch of the newly laid Tercentenary Sports Hall flooring, Mr Lima highlighted how, even though new flooring had been installed for the Netball World Youth Cup, concerns had been raised over the playability of the surface for contact ball sports where the ball regularly makes contact with the floor, namely sports such as basketball. This led to a decision to seek a change of flooring, which, after discussions with the supplier, was agreed upon for what he described as a negligible additional cost.
In answer to questions put to him by this newspaper, Mr Lima highlighted how his authority also “always” sought to install facilities built to international standards.
“We always look at international standards, even if it’s for local sportsmen and women. Whenever we purchase anything we always look at accreditations. This floor, for example, is a FIBA Level One, it is CEV Volleyball suitable and it is suitable for World Netball as well, so whenever we purchase a new item of equipment, be it a floor or a basket hoop, where possible we always buy to international standard because we are hosting international events constantly. The floor that was down here eight or nine weeks ago would probably not have been suitable for an international tournament and we have one in about six weeks’ time.”
When it came down to costs, Mr Lima, whilst not able to directly comment on the actual cost of the new flooring, and whilst describing the additional cost as negligible, also defended associations’ demands for facilities, stating that he believed they understood the cost factors involved.
“I think they do understand, because the associations have representatives on the boards of the European associations, some of them, so they have their finger on the pulse. They know how much these things cost and they are very appreciative of what we do and we are in constant contact. I take the opportunity to thank all the sports that have been affected because from day one they have understood what was happening and really helped us along. They have played league games elsewhere. We have about two weeks to finish, I think, the basketball and volleyball season, give or take a two-week period, after which we will start the preparations for the international period.
“I think we forget that our sporting fraternity locally is very well versed in what happens. They travel a lot and they see what other countries, which are much bigger than Gibraltar, have, and when they come back they really appreciate what we do have locally.”
Asked whether facilities would remain free for use as they are now, whilst indicating that it was not a decision for himself to make and pointing to the Minister for Sport as the decision-maker in this respect, he said he was confident that, in his view, things would remain free into the future.
As Gibraltar seeks to push forward its standards at international level, and with the sport-led tourism industry now emerging, Mr Lima was asked how he saw the future management of facilities, considering their shared use. He pointed out that they had managed even before all the new facilities had come into being. He also highlighted that for the past nine to ten weeks the Tercentenary Sports Hall had been out of action, yet they had still managed to continue operating without it.
Photo by Eyleen Gomez
He further pointed out that when international events came along, such as the Netball World Cup, and both the Europa and Tercentenary sports halls were being used as venues, they had managed to work around the challenges with the support and understanding of the associations affected.
Photo by Stephen Ignacio. Drawings courtesy of AKS Architects.
Mr Lima highlighted that “we forget sometimes how many good sporting venues we have in Gibraltar, not just the ones run by the GSLA. The school sports halls are fantastic venues which are the envy of anything in the hinterland, definitely, and even further afield. I have gone to many venues close by and they would love to have one of our school sports halls. We are very well equipped and we keep pushing for more international events because we can deal with it.”
