In the Main Press Center, free snacks, fruits and coffee were served to all journalists twice everyday and the organizers even provide free massage service, hoping to help ease reporters' pain on the neck, shoulder and back.
Despite all the efforts, complaints still came, ranging from food, internet, air or temperature.
Koji Kawasaki, a staff with the Events, Media and Public Relations Department of the Japanese Olympic Committee, said the food in the media village and the MPC is "not so good". "There are not so many kinds of food...Bedsides, the price is a little bit expensive."
Sun Weijia, director of the BOCOG Media Operations Department, said the prices, which were approved by the IOC, are in accordance to the Olympic traditions and also according to the agreement signed by BOCOG.
"We provide food at different levels of prices. There are also low-priced food available," Sun said. The official catering service provider for 2008 Summer Games is the US-based Aramark Coporation, whose cooperation with the IOC dates back to the 1968 Mexico City Summer Games.
In contrast to the critics, many reporters chose to shrug the complaints off and focused on their work.
"I can visit all the Brazilian websites. Till now, I have no problem visiting the websites I need for work," Janoiro said. "It's difficult to satisfy everyone. I can see that the BOCOG is doing things and they are working so good. It's not necessary to complain about everything."
Australia's Linnell said he noticed Beijing's efforts in fixing problems.
Linnell said he could see the "nervousness" of the organizers in the start, as all reporters were asked to drink the water in the bottle and turn on the laptop when passing through the security check points.
"It was frustrating. But now the security check is getting a lot easier," he said, adding that he thought it showed the organizers "prepare to learn and listen".
As an Australian, Linnell said his "unbiased" opinion is that 2000 Sydney Olympics is the greatest Olympic Games ever. As for the upcoming Beijing Games, "I think most people think it'll be magnificent," Linnell smiled.
(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2008)