Reporters in the Olympic Village

Deng said only registered media can conduct interviews inside the Olympic Village. Each day, 400 visiting cards, which will be granted by the BOB or media management group of the Olympic Village, will be available for registered media.

Reporters with visiting cards can enter the Olympic Village international zone and cover the welcome ceremonies, commercial and service activities held there. Reporters are limited to covering these activities unless they have an appointment to interview a sportsman. Even still, the sportsman must be interviewed in a specially-arranged interview room inside the international zone.

Reporters must apply for the cards 24 hours ahead of time and they will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. No more than 400 will be distributed.

If a media outlet is invited by the Olympic Committee of a nation to interview members of its delegation, the reporter can go to the residential zone with the delegation's working staff. Otherwise, he or she cannot enter the residential zone.

If a guest is invited by the Olympic Committee of a nation, he or she also has to apply for a visiting card first. Every day, a certain number of visiting cards are available for all delegations, which varies depending on its size.

The Olympic Village does not accept visitors who have nothing to do with state Olympic Committees.

Previous Olympic Games all had such provisions, which must be carried out according to IOC guidelines, pamphlets and related principles and policies.

Olympic Village features Chinese characteristics

"The design of the Olympic Village not only satisfies IOC facilities requirements, but also tries to represent Chinese characteristics," Deng Yaping said, "We hope the athletes living here won't feel this Village is no different from the one in Athens."

Chinese cultural exhibitions will be available in the Village, such as crafts demonstrations, which will allow athletes to witness the making of Chinese art items, including hand-made crafts.

A Chinese Learning Center in the Village will provide an outlet for athletes to get closer to Chinese culture. They will even have the chance to learn Chinese calligraphy.

"Other than learning Mandarin, more interestingly, we can even name them in Chinese," Deng said. "Activities like these shall leave more impressions. And that's where our intention lies."

In addition to a sports gala, the Olympics are also a culture gala. The different cultural activities offered in the Olympic Village will emphasize this to the athletes.

During the entire Olympic period, from June to September, more than 1700 art performances representing various cultures will take place.