The preparations for the Beijing 2008 Paralympics are
progressing smoothly, according to Tang Xiaoquan, executive vice
president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the
XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) and president of the Executive Board of China
Disabled Persons' Federation.
Some 4,000 athletes from over 150 countries and regions are
expected to compete in 20 sports and 472 events in Beijing from
Sept. 6 to 17, 2008, she said Wednesday at a press conference at
the Beijing Olympic Media Center.
The Paralympics will attract about 2,500 coaches and technical
officials, in addition to 4,000 written and photographic
journalists as well as TV broadcasters, she said.
In the area of competition organization, she said, the schedule
for each day has been finalized by the International Paralympic
Committee (IPC) while training courses have been held with the
participation of more than 600 Chinese technical officials, coaches
and competition assistants. In addition, a memorandum of
understanding has been signed with 19 international Paralympic
organizations.
With regard to the construction of the Paralympic venues, Tang
said, the 20 competition venues, 28 training venues, and the
Paralympc Village have been finalized, and smooth progress is being
made in their construction and in the formation of management
teams. All competition and non-competition venues will be equipped
with standard accessible facilities, she emphasized.
Swissotel has been designated as the Paralympic Family Hotel,
and another 35 hotels in Beijing will be available to the
participants. Catering and medical service suppliers have been
designated, and 26 of the Beijing Olympic Partners and Sponsors
have joined the Paralympic marketing program. In addition, more
than 100 Paralympic products have gone on the market.
In the volunteer program, over 80 percent of the 730,000 Olympic
volunteer applicants will become volunteers for the Paralympics,
and a professional training system has taken shape.
From Sept. 13 to 16, BOCOG successfully held the Good Luck
Beijing goal ball tournament, which was praised by the IPC and the
International Blind Sports Federation. Beijing will host a
wheelchair basketball event in January 2008 and some events for
Paralympic athletics in May, Tang added.
BOCOG has attached great importance to the communication of the
Paralympics, by unveiling the Paralympic emblem, slogan, mascot,
pictograms, torch relay route, and medals on separate
occasions.
BOCOG will place a total of 1.5 million tickets for the
Paralympics on sale, and the ticketing program will be launched in
the near future.
(BOCOG November 22, 2007)