The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX
Olympiad (BOCOG) announced on Saturday the torchbearer selection
program for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Beginning today, a total of 21,880 torchbearers will be selected
from around the world by various organizations and entities. There
are two routes for such a worldwide selection process. The first
one is done through recommendations by various organizations and
institutions. And the second is an open process, in which public
recommendations are accepted. Additionally, 5,000 escort runners
will be selected on the Chinese mainland exclusively for this
portion of the relay.
The selection program is the core of the Olympic torch relay
preparations. During the flame's journey from Olympia in Greece to
the host city, the torchbearers play the role of conveyors of the
Olympic ideals. In passing the Olympic flame, they will spread the
Olympic Spirit, transmit a message of friendship and peace, and
arouse the public's passion for the Olympics.
According to the selection program, there will be a total of
21,880 torchbearers. Among these, 19,400 will be assigned to the
relay on the Chinese mainland, and 2,480 to the relay in overseas
cities and China's Taipei, Hong Kong, and Macao.
Under the theme of "Journey of Harmony" and slogan "Light the
Passion, Share the Dream", the torchbearer selection program aims
to involve the public participation in a most broad and extensive
way. It will recruit a group of torchbearers who are most deserving
and worth of carrying the Olympic Flame within their communities.
The torchbearer selection process will contribute to the promotion
of the Olympic Spirit and create a warm and joyful atmosphere for
the public in the lead up to the Beijing Olympic Games.
The selection criteria for the Olympic torchbearers have been
formulated on the basis of the principles set forth by the IOC and
past Games practices.
For the relay on the mainland of China, torchbearers
should meet the following requirements:
1) Be patriotic and dedicated to the Olympic Movement;
2) Practice the Beijing Olympic Games concepts in daily life and
have contributed to the building of a harmonious society;
3) Be distinguished for remarkable feats in his/her profession
or community, or have a personal story that can inspire or motivate
others;
4) Be willing and dedicated to community services;
5) Be distinguished for contributions to the Olympic Movement or
for extraordinary performance at past Olympic Games.
For the relay in overseas cities and
China's?Taipei, Hong Kong, and Macao, the torchbearers should
meet the following requirements:
1) Uphold the Olympic Spirit and be dedicated to the Olympic
Movement;
2) Support the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games;
3) Be distinguished for remarkable feats in his/her profession
or community or have a personal story that can inspire or motivate
others;
4) Be willing and dedicated to community services;
5) Be distinguished for contributions to the Olympic Movement or
for extraordinary performance at past Olympic Games.
Based on IOC regulations, Olympic convention, and the agreement
reached by BOCOG, IOC, the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC), and
Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners, the selection
entities will include: provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities; the COC (including Mount Qomolangma team); Beijing
2008 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners; the Olympic Family
(including IOC, NOCs, and IFs); overseas cities and China's Taipei,
Hong Kong and Macao; and BOCOG.
The aforementioned entities will select the torchbearers through
the internal nomination and/or the open process. Selection by
internal nomination means that the selection entities nominate the
candidate torchbearers within their administrative areas or
organizational systems and carry out the review and appraisal
process. For the open registration process, the selection entities
will make the criteria, the total number, selection rules,
registration procedure, as well as registration forms available to
the public. The selection entities may employ one or both selection
methods at their discretion.
The Beijing Olympic Games Escort Runner Program has been
launched with the objective of using the Olympic torch relay to
promote Olympic education. It will encourage the Chinese youth to
understand, support and participate in the Olympics, and present
the world a good image of China's younger generation. The mission
of the escort runners is to assist the torchbearers -- especially
those with a disability -- to pass on the holy flame, and to help
the torchbearers fulfill their task if the need arises.
The selection of the escort runners will be based on a
proportion of two escort runners per eight torchbearers for a total
of 5,000 escort runners. They must meet all the same criteria as
the torchbearers, and additionally, be 17 years of age or older; be
able to run three kilometers in 20 minutes without any difficulty;
be able to keep pace with the torchbearers; and be able to escort
torchbearers over several legs. They will be selected by the
provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and the Beijing
2008 Torch Relay Presenting Partners on the basis of the criteria,
rules and guidelines set by BOCOG.
The number of torchbearers and their allocations are as
follows:
I. 19,400 for the relay on the Chinese mainland
1) 11,534 for the provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities of China, or 59.45% of the total;
2) 1,880 for the Chinese Olympic Committee (including Mount
Qomolangma team), or 9.69% of the total;
3) 5,586 for the sponsors (all levels including the Beijing 2008
Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners), or 28.79% of the
total;
4) 200 for the Olympic Family (including IOC, NOCs and IFs), or
1.03% of the total;
5) 200 for BOCOG;
II. 2,480 for the relay in overseas cities and China's Taipei,
Hong Kong and Macao. Among them 1,936 for NOCs/host city
governments, or 78.06% of the total; 414 for the Beijing 2008
Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners, or 16.7% of the total; and
130 for BOCOG, or 5.24% of the total.
The number of escort runners and their allocations are
as follows:
189 for each of the following provinces: Henan, Shandong, Guangdong and Sichuan; 85 each for Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing and the Tibet Autonomous Region; 137 for each of the
other provinces and autonomous regions; 140 for Beijing and 750 for
the Presenting Partners.
(BOCOG June 23, 2007)
