Rome 26 October the President Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) Giovanni Petrucci and the President of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) John Coates have signed a cooperation agreement for Olympic Games preparation in view of London 2012. The agreement was signed in Acapulco during the 17th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).

For the coming four years, till December 2016, the two nations athletes will be able to use training centres in each others country.  The agreement, which includes a renewal clause to 2020, also covers cooperation between the two countries sports institutes in the fields of sports science, sports medicine, elite sport and training.

CONI and AOC Secretaries General Raffaele Pagnozzi and Craig Phillips attended the signature, as did IOC Member in Australia Kevan Gosper, who in 1988 struck a similar agreement with the then CONI President  Arrigo Gattai.

The geographical position of the two countries effectively does offer certain advantages. During Italian winters Italy will be able to send athletes to Australia to benefit from the southern hemispheres summer, whilst the Australian teams will also be able to benefit from cheap travel rates.