Events responsible for unearthing Olympic gold medallists and NBA stars may be lost if no replacement for the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is found during its redevelopment, organisers have claimed.
It was confirmed in July that planning permission had been approved for the redevelopment of the historic south London venue.
Work is set to start later this year, but organisers fear the temporary closure of the sports centre leaves unanswered questions about the future of their events.
John Petrides, 68, is the Race Director of Crystal Palace Triathlon and has been involved with the club that runs the triathlon since its inception in 2003.
He said: “Our club cannot survive for two to three years with no race. I am looking at other alternatives and there are other venues, but not many within London.
“I’d say the Crystal Palace Triathlon is the biggest event for the London Series [the regional series organised by British Triathlon].
“Without the race, the club would have to change dramatically. Facilities are not cheap these days. It’s not looking very good.”
Crystal Palace Triathlon helped develop Team GB gold medallist Alex Yee, who has been a club member since childhood.
Petrides, a garage owner, highlighted some of the features of the centre that are difficult to find elsewhere and make it the ideal venue.
He said: “It’s better to hold the swim in a pool because it’s safer with lifeguards. And the run and cycle are on private roads with no traffic.”
Sam Neter, 40, is the founder of Hoopsfix, which would also be impacted by the closure.
The Hoopsfix All Star Classic brings together the best under-19 basketball talent in the UK every year and has called Crystal Palace NSC home since 2022.
He said: “It’s the only venue of that size in London that is suitable. We’ve sold out 1,700 tickets every year at Crystal Palace, which has become a big part of our story. It puts us in a bit of a sticky situation with it being shut down.
“It is the only medium-sized arena with 360-degree seating in London. Basically, if you go above that, you’ve got the Copper Box, the O2 and Wembley Arena.”
Previous Hoopsfix All Star Classic alumni include Tobi Lawal at the Dallas Mavericks, Jeremy Sochan of the Portland Trailblazers and Portland Fire player Holly Winterburn.
The NSC also hosts events such as the Grit & Grace Games, the UK’s first fitness event for women over 40.
Business analyst Onika Griffith-Elliott, 48, founded the Games and says the reason she chose the NSC over her usual base at the nearby Ladywell Arena was the space available to accommodate spectators.
She said: “It’s important for our kids to see what we’re capable of. To them, we’re mum, but they don’t see the other side of it, the pain that we may go through to achieve something.
“It was important that families could see the pain of doing it and were able to support and uplift.”
On losing the NSC, she added: “Having had that presence, it’s a very different energy I want to replicate. I am a bit concerned about it.”
Redevelopment plans include the refurbishment of the athletics stadium and swimming pools, as well as a new padel centre, 3×3 basketball courts, five-a-side football pitches and a full-size artificial multi-sports pitch.
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, had previously said: “This historic and much-loved national sports facility has created so many UK sporting stars, but it needs major investment and refurbishment, and I am committed to delivering this.”
Feature image credit: Joe Pinchin
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