MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) — Elite speedskaters no longer are training at Northern Michigan University's U.S. Olympic Education Center.

Officials say they can't afford to renovate the Berry Events Center to add a pad system to protect skaters. The pads are becoming the standard in the sport's major events around the world.

Skaters typically would train while taking college classes at the Marquette campus in the Upper Peninsula. The team had 13 members last year.

Brian Gaudreau, director of the Olympic center, said Tuesday that any new speedskating program would be aimed at coaches rather than competitive skaters.

NMU was the site for World Cup competitions in 2003 and 2009 and U.S. Olympic short-track team trials in 2006 and 2010.