Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic
Committee (IPC), on Wednesday spoke highly of Beijing's preparation
for the 2008 Paralympic Games.
"I and my colleagues were shocked by the great National Indoor
Stadium (NIS) and the brilliant work of creating a barrier-free
city in Beijing here," Sir Craven said on Wednesday when he
attended the draw of the Paralympics' wheelchair basketball
tournament, which is slated to open on September 6.
"I believe China will have a better Paralympics four years after
the Athens Games," he said.
"China will win many, many gold medals at home. But I would say
it will not be easy as other countries are also well prepared for
the Games," Craven said.
The draw of the wheelchair basketball competition was the first
of any Paralympic events.
"The draw is a symbol that the preparation of the Beijing
Paralympics is entering a new era," said the Paralympics chief.
"Beijing did great job in the past one year and was making a
great relationship with IPC," he added.
Sir Craven arrived in Beijing Tuesday afternoon and paid his
first visit to the National Indoor Stadium hours later.
"I drove my wheelchair through the warmup court, the seats and
the competition court," he said. "The organizers paid great
attention to the barrier-free facilities that make disabled people
feel comfortable watching the games."
"I also heard that not only the NIS and other sports complex,
but all the visiting areas have been barrier-free designed for the
Paralympics. It's not just good to the disabled. It's a symbol of a
civilized society full of love and care," Sir Craven said.
(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2008)