@ugusta pre-Olympic training: Last-ditch effort at hosting Olympic table tennis fails, March 26, 1996

``At this stage, it is not possible to change venues,''

-- Jayne Pearce,
Olympic Games spokeswoman

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Augusta misses last-ditch
shot at Olympic table tennis

Brad Schrade
Columbia County Bureau
Article dated March 26, 1996

An Augusta table tennis organizer's last-ditch bid to move the Olympic event here is ``impossible'' and the Atlanta organizing committee declined the offer, a spokeswoman said Monday.

Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games spokeswoman Jayne Pearce said ACOG would not move table tennis competition - which begins July 21 - east to Augusta.

``At this stage, it is not possible to change venues,'' Pearce said. ``Because of contractual, organizational and infrastructure reasons it is impossible to consider a change with, what, just 116 days to go.''

The bid for moving the event to Augusta was made March 14 by Sue Butler, president of American Table Tennis Academy in Augusta. Ms. Butler said she represented Augusta in the 11th-hour bid, but she has almost single-handily promoted the long-shot venue switch.

Butler said she faxed ACOG President Billy Payne a notice each business day for the last week trying to convince him Augusta is the place to hold table tennis.

``Yes is the only answer I will accept,'' Butler said. ``I have other things I can do. I appreciate their response, but that is not an acceptable answer. I know this is not easy, but they'll find a way.''

Butler said she remains optimistic that Olympic table tennis will be held in Augusta. Butler's son, Jim, is on the U.S. Olympic Table Tennis team.

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