Minister for Sport and the Olympics Hugh Robertson has visited Sheffield to find out how the city’s state-of-the-art facilities are set to play a key role in Team GB’s success at London 2012.

On his first major visit outside London since being appointed to the role in May, the Minister took part in a tour of the English Institute of Sport – Sheffield (EIS Sheffield), which is based in Attercliffe and operated by Sheffield International Venues (SIV).

He met some of the country’s top athletes and coaches who are training and developing at EIS Sheffield ahead of 2012, including the GB Boxing and volleyball squads, disability table tennis players and the expert EIS sport science and medical practitioners supporting them.

Hugh Robertson said: “EIS - Sheffield is so important to sport at the moment so it was imperative that I came here to look around at an early stage in my role of Sports Minister. EIS - Sheffield’s contribution to the development of sport and Team GB means it plays a crucial role in our hopes for Olympic success at London 2012.”

EIS Sheffield is Sport England Lottery-funded and one of 14 facilities that make up SIV’s portfolio of international and community sports venues.

Its world-class facilities are helping to increase and sustain the numbers of people participating in sport and physical activity and improve talent development.

Lorenzo Clark, director of operations for SIV, led the tour with former Olympic medallist Peter Elliott, now EIS regional director for the North.

Lorenzo said: “We were honoured to welcome the Minister to EIS Sheffield for his first major sports visit outside of London since taking on the role to find out how SIV and Sport England are contributing to Team GB’s success at London 2012 .

“In Sheffield, we have one of the biggest and best portfolios of sporting facilities. EIS Sheffield, together with Ponds Forge International Sports Centre and Don Valley Stadium, are home to scores of elite athletes with their sights set on the Olympics and it was fantastic to be able to show the Minister how they are benefitting from our world-class venues.”

EIS Sheffield attracts 200,000 visitors a year, provides facilities for more than 60 local sports clubs and caters for almost half of the 26 Olympic sports. Athletes who use the facility include World Heptathlon Champion Jessica Ennis, England’s top two table tennis players, Paul Drinkhall and Darius Knight, and snooker star Ding Junhui.

For more information about the range of sessions and facilities at EIS Sheffield visit www.eis-sheffield.co.uk.