‘CWG 2010 should not be compared with Beijing 2008’

Jan. 23: Sports Minister M.S. Gill poured cold water over expectations of the Commonwealth Games 2010, New Delhi being hosted on a grand scale. He said that the event should not be compared with Beijing ’08 which involved a huge sum of money.

"It’s better one does not compare it with Beijing. As many as $50 billion were spent for the entire event," Gill pointed out at the sidelines of the inauguration of a swimming pool at the Sports Authority of India, eastern centre on Friday.

"The Commonwealth Games too are important and the work behind it seems to be going on at full speed. We’ve also set up a coordination committee for reviewing the progress."

Gill stressed on the need to improve the standard of football in India. "In 1956, we made the semifinals in the Melbourne Olympics and today, we are languishing in the 150th position or nowhere. We must revive the sport and take it to where it was five decades ago."

Besides, he hinted that "inexpensive" games like volleyball, basketball and athletics as well need to be promoted. "You just need a ball to play football, basketball and volleyball which cost almost nothing. Even (US president Barack) Obama does not have to spend money for the promotion of basketball.

"For athletics too, we don’t need to spend anything. Rather, it’s about taking a cue from the Kenyans who keep running and beat sportspersons from all races," Gill said.

Like every other sports lover, he sought the revival of hockey and dismissed the possibility of the sport being stripped of its ‘national game’ status. "How can people think of according cricket the national game status? No doubt, cricket is hugely popular. So, let it remain where it is.

"Back in the olden days, legends like Vishwanath, Vinoo Mankad and others hardly had any protection while batting as compared to cricketers nowadays who are all covered up to face 90mph stuff," Gill commented.

In addition, he announced the revival of pension schemes for ex-sportspersons, scrapping the old three-year policy. He criticised the prevailing scheme of pension for three years.

Source: http://203.197.197.71/presentation/leftnavigation/news/sports/%E2%80%98cwg-2010-should-not-be-compared-with-beijing-2008%E2%80%99.aspx

Concepts: Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics

Three concepts have been adopted for the Beijing Olympic Games, namely, the Green Olympics, the High-tech Olympics and the People's Olympics.

Green Olympics

Environmental protection is a key prerequisite for designing and constructing the Olympic Games' facilities, while strict ecological standards and systematic guarantee systems will be established.

Environmentally friendly technologies and measures will be widely applied in environmental treatment to structures and venues. Urban and rural afforestation and environmental protection will be widely enhanced in an all-round manner. Environmental awareness will be promoted among the general public, with citizens greatly encouraged to make "green" consumption choices and urged to actively participate in various environmental improvement activities to help better the capital's ecological standards and build a city better fit for all to enjoy.

High-tech Olympics

A grand sporting event featuring high technology will be held by incorporating the latest domestic and international scientific and technological achievements. Beijing will upgrade its scientific innovative capabilities, boosting the industrialization of high-tech achievements and popularizing their use in daily life. The Beijing Olympic Games is to serve as a window to showcase the city's high-tech achievements and its innovative strength.

People's Olympics

The Beijing Olympic Games will be an occasion to spread modern Olympic ideas, while displaying splendid Chinese culture, Beijing's historical and cultural heritage, and its residents' positive attitudes. It will also be an opportunity to advance cultural exchanges, to deepen understanding and friendship between the peoples of the world, and to promote harmonious development between mankind and nature. It will be a time to promote healthy interaction between individuals and society and to foster mental and physical health. In line with the "people-oriented" and "athletes-centered" ideas, Beijing will spare no efforts to provide quality services and to build a natural and social environment that will satisfy all the Games' participants.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/concepts/index.shtml

The Official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace -- and good wishes from China -- to children all over the world.

Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame.

Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow.

When you put their names together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni -- they say "Welcome to Beijing," offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games.

Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky -- all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.

In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing -- and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe.

At the heart of their mission -- and through all of their work -- Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games -- and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.

In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.
The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.

Jingjing makes children smile -- and that's why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing's headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature's gifts -- and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring.

In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport -- and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 -- and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people -- can be felt. The fiery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals -- with just a touch of China's traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring.

Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China's landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying's flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing's commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring.

Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini's figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced "yan" in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city. Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/graphic/n214068254.shtml

About BOCOG

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) was established on December 13, 2001, five months after Beijing won the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

BOCOG currently consists of 26 departments -- responsible for numerous Games functions ranging from venue planning to environmental management.

BOCOG will gradually expand its departments and staff to meet the time-sensitive demands of the Olympic preparations. By 2008, there will be more than 30 departments and 4,000 staff working under the BOCOG umbrella.

Headquarters: Beijing Olympic Tower, 267 Beisihuanzhonglu, Haidian, Beijing, P.R.China

Postal Code: 102008

Tel: +86 10 66692008 Fax: +86 10 66699229 E-mail: 2008@beijing2008.cn

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/

Beijing Olympic Main Press Center opens

(BEIJING, July 8) -- The Main Press Center (MPC) for the Beijing Olympics formally opened on Tuesday, July 8 and will follow a 24-hour operation schedule between July 25 and August 27 for media crews from around the world, Director of the MPC and IBC operation team, Sha Wanquan, told reporters Tuesday.

The International Broadcast Center (IBC), nearby the MPC, also began operation Tuesday, stated Director of the BOCOG Median Operations Department, Sun Weijia, who joined Sha at the press conference.

The Chinese government, Beijing Municipal Government and BOCOG have attached great importance to media services with courtesy for media members a top consideration, both Sha and Sun stressed.

With a floor space of 62,000 square meters, the MPC is the largest media center in Olympic history. Located within reach of the "Bird's Nest", "Water Cube", National Indoor Stadium, the Olympic Fencing Hall, the Olympic Village, Media Village and other venues, the MPC allows for more convenient news coverage and easy access by journalists.

The two media hotels are conjoined to the MPC, allowing for direct flow between media work space and living quarters, setting a precedent for the Olympic Games, Sha said.

With 971 workstations, the press work room is also the largest in Olympic history. Among these workstations, 680 are equipped with electrical and network interface features to provide media crews with optimal communication capabilities. An additional 206 workstations will be available for photographers. W-LAN and laptop locks will accompany all stations for user convenience. To date a record 144 media organizations have rented 110 offices at the facility.

The MPC and IBC will follow international practice to provide information terminals, Games-time live broadcasting, competition results, and print and distribution service stations. "In addition, we have also set up a resource area offering a variety of international newspapers, magazines, and library facilities for members of the media," Sha said. "Abundant news coverage and press conferences addressing various topics will also be conducted to provide additional information," he added.

For added convenience, the MPC will offer facilities such as free of charge internet buffet, mobile phone charging stations, Internet IC card lending machine, a bank, a post office, a UPS center, a medical station, a pharmacy, a licensed product shop, a dry cleaning shop, a hair dresser, a travel agency, a convenient store and vending machines. The MPC will also offer a restaurant with a wide selection of international foods, media lounge, massage room, gym, showers and other spaces for relaxation.

Discussing the IBC, Sun said that it would also offer similar facilities for media teams. Additional information would be made available through press conferences from July 8 to 23. Starting July 8, the help desk will begin accepting applications for use of interview facilities and assisting crews with navigating the facility and addressing any concerns.

Offering optimal working conditions and cutting edge technology capabilities has been a priority for planners. "Ever since the early planning stage, we have been committed to top service and setting new Olympic precedents with our offerings," Sun said.

This would be the first time high definition signals would be provided to broadcasters to serve over four billion spectators around the world.

"This is also the first time that new media technologies such as the internet and mobile phones will be used for widespread broadcasting," Sun said.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214441189.shtml

My Olympic Story: 100 days, 100 stories

(BEIJING, April 16) - Were you born on August 8, the date the Beijing Olympics begin? Are you full of knowledge about Olympic events? Then you're already playing a role in the Beijing Olympics.

If you think you have an Olympic destiny, don't keep it to yourself; tell your story and inspire others! Allow us to share your Olympic experience with the rest of the world today.

The official website of the Olympic Games is asking for stories that reflect your support for the Olympics and the contributions you are making towards the preparations for the Games. We welcome stories from all perspectives. You can also send pictures!

Entries will be accepted until August 6. Beginning April 29, on the occasion of the 100-day countdown to the start of the Games, we will select and post one story every day until August 6, for a total of 100 stories.

The star of every selected story will receive a special certificate and commemorative Olympic souvenir, and the 100 selected stories will be published as an anthology and become a part of the Olympic Museum collection as a cultural legacy of the Beijing Olympics.

Please log on to http://en.beijing2008.cn/story/ for more information.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/dynamics/headlines/n214309769.shtml

Beijing in final sprint for Olympic preparations

BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Taxi driver Wang Xiancheng thought his English language level urgently needed improving, as the summer Olympics in his home city of Beijing is just one month away as of Tuesday.

"My English is still not good enough for a chat," said Wang, who learnt the language mainly from tape recordings, while driving.

However, he considered the best way to learn is to speak face-to-face with English-speaking passengers.

Beijing authorities launched an English learning campaign for the 90,000 taxi drivers in the city in 2005. With this effort, many drivers now have enough English for a small chat with their passengers.

After three years of construction, the Main Press Center (MPC) and International Broadcasting Center (IBC) of the Olympic Games were opened on Tuesday, kicking off the media service for the event, which is expected to draw 30,000 foreign media people.

In the one month run-up to the Games, the Olympic host city is gearing up security forces to sweep 90 sports venues, 110 Olympic contracted hotels, 700-km sports tracks, the Olympic athlete village as well as 2,000 sites for Olympic-themed activities, to eliminate any security loopholes in the city.

The city has built an anti-terrorist force of nearly 100,000 commandos, police and troops on high alert for attempted terrorist attacks.

National-level anti-terrorist drills have been launched to test the reactions against chemical attacks, hijacking and other possible contingencies.

Security forces in Beijing's co-host cities of Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shenyang, Qinhuangdao and Hong Kong have been patrolling the ground and skies of all venues and the maritime safety of coastal venues.

Beijing metro passengers have been subjected to security checks since June 29. Locals have got used to the frequent presence of explosives sniffer dogs in metro stations and at the airport.
Paper metro tickets, which had been used for more than 30 years, disappeared from Beijingers' lives in early June, to be replaced by travel cards. And now commuters have bilingual direction boards with lively cartoon images showing the areas around the metro stations.

"Beijing's metro network is no different from that of Paris and is newer. It is convenient and safe, and the best part, no litter at metro entrances," said Hamath Sali, a Senegalese tourist.
Beijing and its citizens have taken the Games as a chance to upgrade the city's etiquette. To make sure that everyone knows how to behave, brochures were sent to 4.3 million families and training provided for 870,000 drivers, hotel service staff and booking clerks.

Authorities have been determined to change the city's bad hygiene image. More than 5,300 new public toilets have been newly built or refurbished, so that a visitor is never further than 10 minutes walk from a toilet in the downtown area.

In addressing the dog problem, Beijing introduced a "one family, one dog" policy in 2006, when it also joined a nationwide campaign against unregistered dogs. So far, the city's 700,000 dogs have been vaccinated.

Beijing authorities have also set up dog-raising discipline supervision committees in 95 percent of communities in urban areas and 85 percent of villages, where residents volunteer to check bad behavior by dogs and owners.

Beginning from June, the country's postal service has suspended mailing parcels containing liquids until Oct. 31, following a previous liquid ban introduced in April on carry-on baggage in domestic flights. The ban was brought in for fear of terrorist attack following a failed attempt to blow up a Southern Airlines flight from Urumqi, Xinjiang to Beijing in March.

The city took 300,000 high-emission cars permanently off its roads last week, as part of measures to clean up the capital's airand ease traffic on the clogged highways.

The organizers announced its Olympic vehicle control plan earlier last month, which bans private cars on alternate days from July 20, depending on whether their number plates end in odd or even numbers. Half of local and central government vehicles will be off the roads during the event as well.

The measures could help reduce 63 percent of traffic pollution emissions in the city.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/beijing/n214442169.shtml

Chinese vice president confident Olympic equestrian events will be successful

HONG KONG, July 7 (Xinhua) - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said here Monday he was confident that the Hong Kong will host warm, splendid and successful equestrian events during the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Xi made the remarks in his keynote speech at a welcoming dinner hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government at the Shangri-La Hotel, noting that the HKSAR government and Hong Kong compatriots have contributed significantly to the preparations of the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As one of the six co-host cities, Hong Kong is going to stage the equestrian events, an important part of the Beijing Olympics.

Xi said the HKSAR government has led the preparatory work with great sense of commitment, and the Equestrian Committee (Hong Kong) and the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong have been working in close collaboration with all sectors of Hong Kong.

As a result of their hard work, Xi said, two high-quality modern equestrian venues for the Olympic Games have been built in just about three years and events-related preparations and the introduction of municipal services plans are well underway.

The whole country and the whole world are deeply impressed by Hong Kong people's enthusiasm, their level of participation and their passion for the Olympics, Xi said.

Hundreds of thousands of people joined the crowd to cheer for the Beijing Olympic torch relay on May 2 in Hong Kong, making it an event of festivity and harmony.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/hongkong/n214440134.shtml