Sports Yearender: Beijing Gets Down to Business for 2008 Olympics

Home>>Sports

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 18, 2001

Sports Yearender: Beijing Gets Down to Business for 2008 Olympics

The Chinese magazine "Tianjin Youth" raised three questions early this century: When will Chinese athlete compete in the Olympic Games? When will China send a team of athletes to the Olympics? When will China host the Olympics?

China made its Olympic debut as early as in the 1930s and capped its sporting glory in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, winning an unprecedented haul of 28 gold medals and finishing third overall.

Now that Beijing, the Chinese capital, was awarded the 2008 Olympic Games in July at Moscow, there comes an extra question: What kind of games will the city put on seven years later?

Open and Frugal

"Green Games, High-tech Games and People's Games," that is the picture Beijing envisions for the 2008 Olympiad during its bidding stage.

Under the three bidding themes, Beijing will build an eco-city by 2008, applying the most sophisticated technology to the games organization, display the human nature of the Olympic movement and showcase the time-honored culture of China.

Besides, Beijing has pledged to hold the games in an open and economical way.

Addressing Thursday's inauguration ceremony of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG), Beijing Mayor Liu Qi said that they would enhance teamwork with the Olympic Family and organize the games in line with international norms.

And the 2008 Olympiad will be an open games "for the people and by the people", added Liu, also president of the organizing committee.

"All the people could make their own contribution to the games, and all enterprises at home and abroad have equal chances to join and profit from the Olympic-related infrastructure construction," said Liu.

He also stressed that BOCOG will stage the Olympics on the principle of frugality while meeting the requirements for staging the Olympiad.

"The building of Olympic venues should not only meet the demand of the Olympics, but also take into consideration the post-games utilization, and we should make full use of the existing facilities and try to put on some temporary facilities for the games to reduce the cost," said Liu.

Serious Efforts

The establishment of the BOCOG indicated that Beijing has got down to business to prepare for a best ever games seven years later.

Soon after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose Beijing as the 2008 host, the teamwork between them has kicked off, as a slew of IOC officials visited Beijing to discuss marketing and sporting management.

More than 40 IOC members, including newly-elected IOC president Jacques Rogge and Hein Verbruggen, newly-appointed chief of the IOC's Coordination Commission for the 2008 Olympiad, attended the Ninth National Games in South China.

Beijing not only wooed advice through a flurry of meetings with the visiting Olympic Family members, but also held the 21st World Summer University Games in August and the Ninth National Games in November as test events of the 2008 Olympics.

With a view to cumulating experience for the future Olympiad, China tried to stage the two major events in accordance with Olympic standards and tested how far they are still from the "Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics".

Beijing also aims for an organizing committee composed of high-quality staff and extended their arms for elite all over the world.

To ensure the Olympic competition run without a glitch, the host, in particular, is eager to churn out personnel both proficient in competition organization and familiar with the Olympic affairs.

"We will learn from the Olympic host cities and get our staff involved in the competition organization of world championships or future Olympics Games," said Yuan Weimin, president of the Chinese Olympic Committee.

Coupling with the preparation for the Games itself is the ongoing urbanization of the city, which is taking great efforts in environmental protection, infrastructure construction and attracting foreign investment.

"The years before 2008 will be the crucial stage for Beijing to develop into a modern metropolis while putting on a high-level games, "

Sober Mind

Beijing's bidding success thrilled the Chinese, turning the world's most populous country into an ocean of happiness on July 13.

Beijing has every reason for celebration but it is also fully aware of the challenges they face in the leadup to the 2008 Olympiad.

"Though the games is still seven years away, we need to get down to work soon after celebration," said Chinese IOC member He Zhenliang.

His view was echoed by Lou Dapeng, who was also on the Beijing bid team. "It is a very complex project to stage such a grand-scale sporting event, and we have a lot things to do," said Lou.

"We need to conform with international practices in many respects," he added.

While expressing confidence about Beijing's ability of staging the games, the International Olympic Committee also pointed out that China needs to pay enough attention to the "software" of the Games.

"I know you can do well in facilities. Infrastructure is no problem for you," said Kim Un Yong, a South Korean IOC member.

"But how to manage the games, how to welcome the world, how to give them security services and how to show them your culture -- these are the most important," said Kim, a key figure in the successful 1988 Seoul Games.

Though a string of challenges lie ahead, the IOC has given its vote of confidence to the host.

During his two-day visit amid the Universiade, the first world multi-sports event since Beijing's bidding success in July, IOC president Jacques Rogge was impressed by "a complete package" offered by the Chinese capital.

"It is the quality of people, the expertise, the support of the government, the geography of the city, the strength of the Chinese sports and the Chinese tradition," he said. "All of this makes that you have everything to stage the best possible Games.

After a two-day visit to the Chinese national games, he reconfirmed his confidence that Beijing will put on a "tremendous Games" seven years later.

"We have great confidence with your ability to deliver the Games for the sake of athletes and for the future of Olympism," he said.

Sports Yearender: China's Gymnastics - Big Pool of Talents in Men, Few Stars in Women

Sports Yearender: China Still Dominates, Warns against Complacency

Sports Yearender: Milutinovic Steers China to Promise