Phil Boakes, the chairman of British Shooting, has claimed that if the events were moved from the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich because of cost reasons to a greenfield site in Barking it would still not be a sensible choice.

 

He said: "The most disappointing aspect of the process of finding a site has been the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games reluctance to discuss the future of shooting with the sport."

 

The alternatives to Woolwich are detailed in the Government-commissioned report by KPMG which conducted a cost analysis of temporary venues, including shooting.

 

The Olympic board accepted the accountancy firm's recommendation to keep equestrianism in Greenwich Park and basketball in the Olympic Park.

 

However the shooting remains under review and will be discussed again at next month's Board.

 

Barking would be the third choice of Olympic shooting venue as Games officials opted against the national shooting centre in Bisley, Surrey, after they were advised by the International Olympic Committee during the bid that it was too far for shooters to travel from London.

 

Boakes said: "What British needs is a centre of excellence where world-class athletes can be developed.

 

"British Shooting's original prefence was Dartford, fulfilling the International Olympic Committee's requirement for the athletes to stay in the central Olympic Village; the local council's reluctance to have permanent buildings on the site seems to have put paid to this.

 

"Bisley, in Surrey, with its close proximity to Eton Dorney, where competitors could be accommodated along with rowers, would be an excellent alternative.

 

"It would give the sport a physical legacy at an established world-renowned venue and enable the target-shooting sports to raise much-needed further income."

 

Woolwich has long been opposed by British Shooting, which wrote to MPs and started a petition on the Downing Street website to have it moved.

 

Boakes said: "One wonders how intentional the lack of consultation with the sport's governing bodies and the Bisley landlords has been when shooting, with its political sensitivities, is not a sport the Government wants to be seen to support."