Beijing Olympic organizers do not plan to move some events out
of the city despite concerns from athletes about the air quality in
the Chinese capital, an organizing committee official said on
Tuesday.
"So far, we have no plans to hold events such as the marathon at
a place outside Beijing," Liu Wenbin, deputy director of BOCOG's
sports department, told a press briefing.
But Liu admitted that BOCOG has arranged rest days when drafting
the competition schedule so that they can make adjustments if
unfavorable weather conditions occur.
"Any decisions to postpone or cancel Olympic events must be made
jointly by the IOC, the international federations, BOCOG and
broadcasting rights holders," he said.
International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said in
August last year that some outdoor endurance events might have to
be rescheduled if the air is not good enough during the Games period.
Despite billions of dollars spent to improve its environment,
Beijing is often blanketed by smog and a report released in last
October by the United Nations Environment Program said Beijing was
on course to hold a Green Olympics but air quality remained a
problem.
However, Chinese authorities believe the air quality will
improve significantly by the time the Aug. 8-24 Games start.
Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the municipal bureau of
environmental protection, had said the city will order at least one
third of 3.3 million vehicles off the road during the 16-day
Olympics and close dust-spewing construction sites and polluting
factories.
(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2008)