The upcoming Beijing Olympic Games will be a success and the U.S. Olympic delegation is "very excited and honored" to attend the event, a spokesman for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) said.
"The Beijing Olympics is an unprecedented, enormous undertaking and that we are very impressed by the sports venues, infrastructure and other preparations works done by Beijing's organizers," Darryl Seibel, USOC's chief communications officer, told Xinhua in a recent telephone interview before he leaving for China on Monday.
While readiness is important for hosting a successful Olympics, it's also important to have an event that demonstrates the best performance of world's top athletes, he said.
Seibel said the USOC expects the Beijing Olympics to be the most competitive Olympic Games in recent history.
The United States has topped the goal medal count in last three summer Olympics, and many in the country are expecting it to do the same.
Seibel said the U.S. delegation has already set its goal for its performance at the Beijing Olympics but he can't talk about it right now.
"We are very capable, and what I can say is that we will try our best," he said.
But Seibel also stressed that this time "sending a clean team to Beijing" is the top priority for the U.S. delegation.
"We put 'cleanness' first, and then is the behavior of the athletes. Performance will come third," he said.
To realize that top priority, Seibel said the USOC has long been cooperating closely with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, or USADA, to conduct intensive tests on U.S. athletes.
It also held seminars to increase the anti-doping awareness among them.
A number of U.S. Olympic athletes have participated in a voluntary testing program.
Seibel said it is "a great honor" for the USOC to see that U.S. President George W. Bush confirmed his attendance at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
"It's the first time for an incumbent U.S. president to attend the opening ceremony of an Olympic Games held overseas and it shows President Bush's support for the Olympic movement. We are very honored and excited about it," he said.
As the host for several Olympics, he said the USOC is willing to offer any help to China when asked.
"We will do whatever we can do if asked," said Seibel.
(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2008)