Seven of Sheffield's top sporting venues have been put forward as possible Paralympic training camps for the London 2012 Games.
Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, the English Institute of Sport Sheffield (EISS), Concord Sports Centre, Hillsborough Leisure Centre, iceSheffield, and Don Valley Stadium, which are all managed by Sheffield International Venues (SIV), plus Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre, have been included in the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) Guide.
The publication will provide an insight into where international Paralympic teams can prepare for the London Games. It will be published in the summer and launched at the Beijing Games.
A total of 11 high quality sporting venues from across Yorkshire and 180 nationally will appear in the Guide. The venues meet the technical criteria of national and international sports bodies and accessibility and support service requirements for Paralympic teams. Sheffield's facilities cover 12 of the 20 Paralympic sports.
All six of the SIV facilities will also appear in the Guide for Olympic sports, which was announced in March this year. They appear alongside 14 other South Yorkshire venues including All Saints Specialist Sports College, Collegiate Campus, Dorothy Hyman Sports Centre, Graham Solley Sports Development Centre, Keepmoat Stadium, Ladybower Reservoir, Mount St Mary's College, Rother Valley Country Park, Shaw Lane Community Sports Association, Sheffield United's Academy, Sheffield Wednesday's training ground, St Leger Horse Park, The Doncaster Dome, The Metrodome Leisure Complex and the SIV-managed Woodbourne Road Athletics Stadium.
Steve Brailey, Chief Executive of Sheffield International Venues, said: "We are delighted to have such a strong representation in the Paralympic guide. It is a huge achievement that of the 11 Yorkshire venues included in the guide seven are based in Sheffield and six of these are managed by Sheffield International Venues."
Cllr Sylvia Dunkley, Cabinet member for Streetscene, Culture and Leisure for Sheffield City Council, said: "I welcome the inclusion of these seven venues in the Guide and believe it is really important that the city goes for gold in attracting athletes to train for the Paralympics in Sheffield. We should use this as a spring board not just for the economic benefits this can bring to Sheffield but to increase participation in sports and sporting facilities in the city. The key now is to showcase what Sheffield has to offer visiting teams."
Sheffield Steelers player Jo Harper, from Dore, in Sheffield, who is part of the GB women's team for the Beijing Games, said: "It is wonderful to see so many venues from Yorkshire included in the training camp guide. It represents a real commitment from the region to Paralympic sports and opens up a wealth of opportunities for cities such as Sheffield to take advantage of ahead of the London Games."