The Jamaican bobsled team, who arrived in Vancouver on Saturday, hit the first hard bump in their training for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The town of Pemberton, 25 kilometres north of Whistler, had been set to host the athletes for 14 months as they trained in the new Whistler Sliding Centre, but now they may not be able to because they did not file essential paperwork before leaving.
And practice time at the Olympic facility is booked heavily, with Vancouver organizers saying that all requests for access this season have already been processed.
The athletes, trained by 1988 team hero Devon Harris, are clearly disappointed, and they may now be training in at Calgary's sliding facilities instead.
"We're hoping we'll smile and then get access for a few minutes a day," he said. "Ice time is critical. That's where real bobsledding occurs -- on the track."
Pemberton's mayor, Jordan Sturdy, hosted a public welcoming for the Jamaicans on Sunday.
"We are pleased the Jamaican bobsleigh team accepted the invitation to stay. It's an act of hospitality that's generated Olympic excitement and publicity," he said, amid applause.
As it stands, the team visited the Sliding Centre in Whistler on Sunday and signed autographs. Training must begin soon, but it may be on the site of their first Olympic appearance -- in Calgary.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Sarah Galashan
