CHINA: INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTE (IOC) SAYS PREPARATIONS FOR 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES IN BEIJING ARE WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Record ID: 640508

  • Title: CHINA: INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTE (IOC) SAYS PREPARATIONS FOR 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES IN BEIJING ARE WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
  • Date: 9th August 2002
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (AUGUST 9, 2002) (REUTERS) SOUNDBITE (English) GILBERT VELLI, MEMBER OF COORDINATION COMMISSION, SAYING: "Now we face it that maybe for Beijing it (meaning the timing of the Games) is not exactly the best conditions, so we will see if it's true or not. If the organizing committee comes with some recommendation, technical recommendations, now we have to reassess our own position to say that it was the best period and we will balance between the two aspects but I'm sure that at the end of the day, the athletes condition will prevail."
  • Embargoed: 24th August 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA742MIA6T53DKYQZK08J5HR68
  • Story Text: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games are well ahead of schedule, with transport issues the only real challenge.
    The IOC also said the issue of Taiwan had not been discussed with Beijing Olympic officials.
    The IOC team has spent three days in the Chinese capital for talks on preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
    Led by Hein Verbruggen and IOC director general Francois Carrard, the team has been looking at communications issues, security, infrastructure, budgeting and the environment.
    Beijing won the 2008 Olympic bid last year - sparking nationwide celebrations. But human rights activists criticized the decision because of China's record on human rights.
    At a news conference on Friday (August 9), Verbruggen said the IOC was impressed with preparations so far for the Games.
    "The Coordination Commission is very impressed by what we've seen over the last days and I think that it is not exaggerated if we state that BOCOG is well ahead of our expectations," said Verbruggen.
    Verbruggen said that transport was perhaps the biggest challenge facing Games organizers, because of a "stunning"
    increase in the number of cars on Beijing's roads.
    In the first six months of this year, another 133,000 cars hit the roads in Beijing - thanks to rising incomes.
    "We have to make plans, BOCOG has to make plans now, taking into account these incredible increases, that once again makes the whole transport planning very challenging, but at the same time, it's challenging on the one side, but on the other side, for the games it will be an enormous legacy for the population after the Games," said Verbruggen.
    Chinese newspaper reports on Friday said that Beijing Olympic officials favoured a later start to the 2008 Games than the planned July-August date because of hot and humid weather in the summer months.
    Officials said no decision had been made on a date change, but accepted the start could be delayed.
    "Now we face it that maybe for Beijing it (meaning the timing of the Games) is not exactly the best conditions, so we will see if it's true or not. If the organizing committee comes with some recommendation, technical recommendations, now we have to reassess our own position to say that it was the best period and we will balance between the two aspects but I'm sure that at the end of the day, the athletes condition will prevail," said Coordination Commission member Gilbert Velli. While concerns have been raised also about Beijing's often polluted air, Olympic officials said they had been impressed so far with clean-up efforts to clear the skies above Beijing.
    The IOC played down fears that tension between China and Taiwan might affect the 2008 Olympic Games, saying it was a non-issue. Relations between Beijing and Taiwan, which China's ruling Communist Party considers a rogue province, were rocked anew at the weekend when Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian backed the idea of a referendum on formal independence.
    Although Chen has since back-pedalled, Chinese media have responded furiously, renewing threats to use force against the island of 23 million people if it declares independence.
    "This kind of thing (referring to Taiwan), you know, we better leave that up to the politicians. I don't think the coordination committee should have an opinion about those political things. For the time being it has absolutely no effect you know on the organisation of the Games. We haven't discussed it at all," said Verbruggen.
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