fund-raising drive so athletes can be sent to two major international events which are being held within seven months of each other -- the Commonwealth and Pan Am Games.

The Commonwealth Games will be held in Victoria, British Columbia, in August while the Pan Am Games will take place in Argentina next March.

BOA's secretary-general John Hoskins yesterday estimated the cost of sending a team to Victoria would be in the area of $50,000, depending on the how many athletes qualify, but said that the costs of sending athletes to Argentina next spring will be significantly higher.

With the two events being so close the BOA were gearing their fund-raising campaign towards getting funding for both at the same time, according to Hoskins.

"We are about to launch an appeal for funds, in fact it will be a major one because we are looking at the two events,'' said Hoskins.

He said the costs of sending athletes to Argentina would be higher because Bermuda would be sending a larger contingent to the Pan Am Games.