Balancing act: Ross Brewer could be forced to quit Sutton School of Gymnastics. Deadlinepix Frantzesco Kangaris FK1142
British gymnastics team captain Ross Brewer fears his Olympic dream will be dealt a killer blow if he is forced to quit Sutton School of Gymnastics in search of a new coach.
The 27-year-old is expected to lead his country at the World Championships in Stuttgart in September, where a top-18 finish for the squad will ensure at least one British athlete will be on duty at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
But the news head coach Simon Moore and Lia Borrotzu are leaving in June has put that in jeopardy. Moore helped his father Peter set up Sutton School of Gymnastics in 1985.
The future of the club's elite programme, which harbours the ambitions of fellow Olympic hopeful Ben Brown, is now in serious doubt, which is ironic given Brown and Brewer's involvement with the London 2012 Olympic bid.
Brewer and the club's other senior hopefuls will be forced out of the area in search of qualified coaches unless replacements can be found.
London gymnast David Eaton has already decided to retire because he cannot find adequate facilities in the capital.
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"The club will still run for youngsters but, for elite level athletes, it will cease to exist," said Brewer.
"We have to act now to save the elite club.
"When you reach our level you must have correctly qualified coaches to supervise training in terms of insurance.
"The club closest to here with senior coaches at the right level is in Hemel Hempstead.
"That is a long way to travel, which will inevitably have an impact on my performance.
"The problem is the facilities we have here will not attract the right coaches with the money we have available.
"We are exploring the possibility of building better facilities but, without the funds available, we need a benefactor to come to the rescue."
Brewer has just returned from captaining his country at the European Championships in Amsterdam, where 17-year-old Daniel Keatings won silver on the pommel horse.
But it is a success he fears could be short-lived, with funding for his sport being cut in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.
"The money put into the sport a few years ago is just starting to pay dividends in terms of medals, yet it is being reduced," added Brewer, the two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist.
"It takes years to develop top- quality gymnasts.
"Cutting those funds now means the chances of having a gymnast - particularly one London-based - at the London Olympics are few and far between."
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