The African nations will use the Palace of Art Centre for Sport Excellence in Bellahouston Park and Scotstoun Leisure Centre in the weeks before the Games.

Glasgow's Lord Provost, Bob Winter, said: "This is a tremendous endorsement for the city's world-class sporting facilities, and we hope that other national Olympic teams follow this lead.

“We are delighted Namibia and Zambia have decided to base their training camps in Glasgow.

"This is a tremendous endorsement for the city’s world-class sporting facilities and we hope other Olympic teams follow this lead.

"As more and more countries start to plan their arrangements to train in the lead up to the Olympics, it is not surprising there is interest in our venues from as far afield as southern African countries.

"The decision is all the more pleasing given the historic links between these countries and Glasgow and Scotland."

Shona Robison, Scotland's Sports Minister, said: "Securing pre-Games training camps not only gives Scotland the opportunity to showcase our facilities, it also allows us to promote our nation and its people as a place to visit and do business with."

Miriam Moyo, the President of the Zambian Olympic Committee, said: "There were some very good alternative opportunities for training camps in the UK but the network we have established with the Glasgow team and their readiness to consider our challenges was a definite plus.

"We sincerely believe we made the right choice and look forward to our small team deriving the most out of the Glasgow venues.

"Certainly, with Namibia already on board and hopefully soon a few more Southern African countries, Glasgow will provide a very homely and welcoming setting for our athletes."

The Bellahouston Park venue has been accredited for boxing, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling while Scotstoun is accredited for athletics, paralympic athletics and badminton.

Namibia made its debut in the Olympics only at Barcelona in 1992 and since won four medals.

All were claimed by Frankie Fredericks (pictured), who claimed two silver medals at both the 1992 and 1996 Olympics in Barcelona and Atlanta respectively by finishing second in the 100 and 200 metres at each Games.

At the last Olympics in Beijing Namibia sent 10 athletes to compete in four sports - athletics, boxing, cycling and shooting - with the best performance coming from Eric Hoffman, who finished 22nd in the men's cycling road road.

Zambia, meanwhile, made its Olympic debut at Tokyo in 1964 when they competed as Northern Rhodesia.

They have competed in every Games since, apart from Montreal in 1976, when they joined the African-led boycott.

They have won two medals, thanks to boxer Keith Mwila, a bronze in the men's light flyweight at Los Angeles in 1984, and runner Samuel Matete, a silver in the 400m hurdles at Atlanta in 1996.

Zambia sent eight competitors to Beijing in four sports - athletics, badminton, boxing and swimming.

The athletes and the rest of their teams will use Strathclyde University accommodation as their base while in Glasgow.

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