A senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official
dismissed worries over air pollution in Beijing and reaffirmed
confidence that the local organizers will ensure healthy atmosphere
for athletes and spectators during the 2008 Summer Olympics.
R. Kevan Gosper, Vice-Chairman of the IOC Coordination
Commission for the Beijing Games and an IOC member, said air
quality had frequently been a concern in previous games but most
were properly addressed.
"Ever since I've been on the IOC: in the 1984 Los Angeles games,
we were worried about pollution because they had few public
transport and most were motor cars, and at the 1988 Seoul Games we
were also worried because it was an industrial city," he said,
adding that the similar worries emerged in the run up to the 2004
Athens games.
But he stressed that every time they found ways through the
problems.
Gosper was in Beijing for the Swimming China Open, a debut
tournament of the Water Cube, an iconic Olympic venue near the
national stadium "Bird's Nest".
Describing the Water Cube as "breathtaking", Gosper said Beijing
was lucky to have the two flagship venues, and athletes from all
over the world would also be lucky to compete here.
He said all preparations for the games had been going on
smoothly, including measures to curb pollution.
"The Beijing authorities have been spending a lot of money on
air quality, both as part of Beijing's needs as well as the games'
needs," said the Australian.
Statistics show that from 1998 to 2006, Beijing invested 120
billion yuan (about US$16 billion) to improve its environment, and
in 2006 alone, the investment topped 25 billion yuan. The
municipality has shut down pollutant-emitting factories, enhanced
supervision for the construction sites, and is vigorously expanding
its public transportation system.
The Olympics involves many parties, including the IOC, the
international federations, the municipality, and the national
Olympic committees, Gosper said.
"This is like a big ship with a lot of people work with hammers
in their hands, or like an orchestra, and everyone knows the rule,"
he said.
Just as Beijing has learnt from previous games like in Sydney
and Athens, it will also have expertise to share with London, host
of the 2012 Olympics, he added.
(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2008)