Elite Skills Arena: Targeting terrorism?
Eddie Mitchell co-owned Bournemouth until 2013
Written by Simon Austin — June 10, 2017
FORMER Bournemouth co-owner Eddie Mitchell has appealed to the police and military to use his Elite Skills Arena football equipment as an anti-terrorism training tool.
Mitchell bought into Bournemouth in 2009 before selling his 50% share to Maxim Denim in 2013. After that, the ex-property developer co-founded Elite Skills Arena, which manufactures a 360-degree training aid for footballers.
We tested out the product in February and it is being used by clubs including Barcelona and Liverpool. England players Adam Lallana and Jack Wilshere are ambassadors for the Poole-based company.
But Mitchell has another use for the product - which he demonstrates in the video at the bottom of the page.
“In light of the recent events around the world, tragic as they are, it has come to our attention that our arena could be a really useful tool for the military and police,” he said.
“We think they could take a lot of advantage of the technology we have developed over the last three or four years.
“We have also created a more individual target that represents a person that can be placed outdoors and represents friend or foe by the colours they display.
“I’d like to appeal to the authorities to come and have a look at what we have created. We think it is unique and can go a long way to counter terrorism if regularly used.”
