With the Olympic year approaching, senior officials from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have given the thumbs-up to Beijing's preparatory work and are eyeing well-organized Games next year.

"We are equally happy with 2007 as we were with 2006 and 2005 and previous years. All the work is on schedule," said Hein Verbruggen, chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Games.

"I'm happy I could come this time in December and see things are really moving in the right direction," he said on the sidelines of a working meeting with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

Verbruggen has approved of all the tests held this year to check the facilities and operations in Beijing and co-host cities.

"We heard the evaluation on test events this morning. They are all excellent. The reactions we got from international federations are very good," Verbruggen told China Daily.

The crash of the online system when phase-II tickets' sale began in October came as a shock to many, but for Verbruggen it was "almost a luxury problem".

"The computer breakdown was a practical problem. That so many people were surprised showed the huge demand for tickets. For me, that's almost a luxury problem."

Verbruggen is optimistic of the preparations during the last few months before the Games, too. "I don't wish anything else than a well-organized Games. It will be wonderful. I really hope the athletes will be happy when they leave China next August because they will have been able to perform to the best of their abilities, thanks to the good work carried out by the Games organizers.

"The same goes for the rest of the Olympic family and spectators. Many people will see the country for the first time and hopefully they will be happy with what they see and will want to come back and see more.

"I think that we and BOCOG are doing our utmost to make the Games a big success. I hope that we will achieve our goal”

(China Daily December 19, 2007)