Olympic Times – Sports Daily

A Russian sports official said on Monday that it will be a “great honor” as the Olympic flame travels to Russia’s St. Petersburg on April 5.
The Olympic torch relay will go through the five continents, including five cities of the European continent.
“St. Petersburg will be one of these cities. This is a great honor,” Interfax news agency quoted Russian Olympic Committee spokesman Gennady Shvets as saying.
All the Olympic champions who reside in St. Petersburg, other renowned athletes of the city, and some Olympic champions from other Russian cities will take part in the four-hour torch relay.
“The torch will pass through many famous cultural and historical relics as well as beautiful views… to showcase the unique features of St. Petersburg to the world,” Vyacheslav Chazov, president of the committee of physical culture and sport in St. Petersburg said last week.
The Beijing Olympic flame was ignited in a traditional sun-ray ceremony at 11:45 local time (0945 GMT) on Monday in front of the Hera Temple of ancient Olympia, Greece.
The torch will be relayed in Greece for six days and then taken to Beijing in a five-month world tour.

from: xinhuanet.com

China on Sunday refuted a warning that U.S. visitors to Beijing for the Olympic Games would be under surveillance, saying the privacy of foreign visitors would be protected.

“There’s no special arrangement which is beyond the security measures widely employed in accordance with international rules at public locations, hotels and offices in China,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang.

Qin was responding to a question concerning a warning released by the U.S. department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs last Thursday, which said hotel rooms and offices in Beijing are considered to be subject to remote technical monitoring and may be accessed at any time without the occupant’s consent or knowledge, making U.S. visitors’ privacy hard to be protected.

“Privacy in China is always under protection according to the law, and there’s no need for foreign visitors to worry about that,” Qin said.

“The warning by the U.S. bureau is irresponsible,” he said.

from: xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/24/content_7844887.htm

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Thursday urged foreign press members to do their part to create a favorable news coverage environment in China.
To honor its commitment in the bid for the right to host the Olympic Games, the Chinese government started on January 1, 2007 to implement the “Regulations On Reporting Activities in China by Foreign Journalists During the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period.”
With a serious attitude toward the implementation of the Regulations, concerned government agencies and local governments have made great efforts to earnestly carry them out. “Any unbiased journalist will feel that a freer press coverage environment is available to foreign journalists now and they enjoy more facilities and services in China today,” Qin said at a regular press conference.
Generally speaking, he noted, the Regulations have been carried out well since they were put into force, and the move was commended by the international community, including foreign governments and media. However, there were some problems, Qin said, explaining that it takes time to carry out the Regulations in depth as conditions vary in different places in view of the country’s vast territory and big population. On the other hand, some foreign journalists need to rethink profoundly about their behaviors. Many cases of resistance to press coverage were caused by violations of the Regulations by some journalists, or their insistence for interviews against the interviewees’ will.
In violating journalistic ethics, Qin said, some media members even distorted facts and fabricated stories. “So both of us need to do our best to efficiently carry out the Regulations with an aim at improving press conditions in China and making news coverage acceptable to more organizations,” Qin added.

from: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/dynamics/headlines/n214268530.shtml 

China is continuously improving the work environment for foreign journalists, a move that has been well received by the international community, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman here on Thursday.
“As China continues to push forward its opening up, it is also making efforts to create a better work environment for foreign journalists,” said spokesman Qin Gang at a routine press conference.

“I believe the work environment for foreign journalists in China will get better and better.“

He said China had made efforts in a “serious”, “active” and “responsible” manner to carry out the current regulations to help foreign journalists to report on the August Olympiad.
The “Regulations on reporting activities in China by foreign journalists during the Beijing Olympic Games and the preparatory period” took effect on January 1 and expires on October 17.
“Any unbiased foreign reporters would notice that they are having more and more access and getting better service to make their reports on China along with China’s opening-up process,” Qin said.
However, he acknowledged there were problems during the implementation process which, he explained, were caused by two major factors.
First, China was a large country with a vast territory, a huge population and many differences among the various regions. It would take time for the foreign media regulations to be carried out thoroughly as various parties needed time to understand, absorb and implement the regulations. Second, a few foreign media also needed to reflect on their reporting style.
Qin said some reporters had violated Chinese regulations, didn’t respect those they had interviewed, yet proceeded with interviews against the person’s wish. Some had even fabricated news stories.
He said China would remain committed to improving the working conditions for foreign reporters in the country. He expressed his belief that foreign media would enjoy a better working environment with the country’s further opening to the outside world.

from: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-03/14/content_6536288.htm

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman voiced confidence on Tuesday that the country will host a clean and safe Olympics, Xinhua reported.

China is confident about safeguarding the environment and security conditions during the period when the Olympic Games are being held in Beijing, spokesman Qin Gang told the media at a routine press conference in Beijing.

In reply to a question about the upcoming Olympics, Qin said that the improvement of the capital’s environment not only served the needs of the Games, but also helped to carry out the scientific concept of development as well as to substantially improve the living standards of Beijing residents.

According to Qin, Beijing spent 120 billion yuan (16.9 billion U.S. dollars) in improving air quality in recent years. The number of “blue sky” days, or days with fairly good air quality, increased to 246 last year from 100 in 1998.

A coordination workshop was also established to help Beijing and its five neighboring municipalities and provinces initiate joint actions in a bid to ensure the air quality during the Games, Qin said.

The government believes the major pollution indices will meet national and World Health Organization criteria. China welcomes athletes from all over the world to participate in the Beijing Olympics, Qin said.

On security, Qin noted China’s attachment of great importance to relevant issues. The country has already formulated a strategic plan to ensure safety during the Games in accordance with International Olympic Committee (IOC) requirements.

“A security commanding system based on the experience of previous Games has also been put in place.”

Qin said China would continue to keep a close eye on and continue its efforts to improve security conditions during the Olympics. He emphasized that the country has the determination, confidence, and competence to ensure the safety and success of the Olympic Games.

from: beijing2008.cn

The Chinese media and Internet users have expressed their bafflement and disappointment over Hollywood director Steven Spielberg’s recent withdrawal from the Beijing Olympics as its artistic director, but still admire the Oscar-winner’s artistic achievements.
“Mr Spielberg knows nothing about China’s endeavor to solve the Darfur issue … He is unqualified to blame the Chinese government,” a commentary published in Saturday’s Guangming Daily, one of the country’s leading newspapers, said.
Spielberg announced his intention on Wednesday to quit his role at the upcoming Games, citing concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, which he linked to the Chinese government.
The American movie director was appointed artistic consultant by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics in April 2006, and became involved with the opening and closing ceremonies of the event, together with Chinese film director Zhang Yimou and Ric Rirch, the Australian director behind ceremonies at the Sydney Games in 2000.
Many Chinese have said they are shocked by Spielberg’s decision and found it “unacceptable”.
“This person is living in his sci-fi world and cannot distinguish dream from reality,” a commentary in Saturday’s China Youth Daily said.
Websites such as Sina.com, Sohu.com and China.com carried thousands of comments on Spielberg’s move.
Jiang Bojing from Hebei province said in an online forum: “Mr Spielberg shouldn’t use the Olympics as an opportunity to make indiscreet political remarks about China.”
Spielberg’s movies, such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. and Schindler’s List, have proven popular with Chinese.
Xinghe, a writer, said Spielberg has inspired many Chinese youngsters who love science fiction.
“He has great talent. We regret his decision, but we still like his movies,” he said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao also said last week that Spielberg’s decision was “regretful”.

from: chinadaily.com.cn 

President George W. Bush said on Thursday that he would attend the 2008 Beijing Olympics as scheduled.
“I’m going to the Olympics. I view the Olympics as a sporting event,” Bush told the BBC in an interview aired on the day.
As for Hollywood movie director Steven Spielberg’s withdrawal from Beijing Olympics as an artistic advisor over alleged concerns over the violence in Sudan’s Darfur region, Bush said he had no reason to use the Olympics as a way to highlight such issues.
“I have a little different platform than Steven Spielberg, so I get to talk to President Hu Jintao,” the president said.
Spielberg Wednesday announced his decision to quit the upcoming Olympics as an artistic adviser, citing concerns over the violence in Darfur, which he linked to the Chinese government.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular press conference Thursday that China has exerted positive efforts to resolve the Darfur issue, and that linking the issue to the Olympic Games will not help and is against the Olympic Spirit that separates sports from politics.

from: chinadaily.com.cn 

The government Thursday expressed regret over the decision by Hollywood movie director Steven Spielberg to quit as an artistic advisor to the Beijing Olympics.
The American announced his decision on Wednesday, citing concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, which he linked to China.
“We express regret (for his decision),” Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Thursday at a regular briefing.
Responding to recent remarks by some Westerners linking China to Darfur, Liu said China has “noticed these or those discussions and moves on China’s stance on Darfur”.
“It is understandable if some people do not understand the Chinese government’s policy on Darfur,” he said. “But we can’t accept that some people want to use this as an opportunity to link Darfur to China’s Africa and Sudan policies, and even to the Beijing Olympic Games.”
Liu said China has been working with the United Nations to resolve the Darfur crisis.
“China is also concerned about the humanitarian crisis there, but we have been playing a positive and constructive role in promoting peace in Darfur.”
China has so far offered $11.1 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, Liu said. Chinese firms have also offered aid.
China National Electric Equipment Corporation has completed 18 small-scale power plants in Darfur and two more are under construction. In addition, Beijing will send 315 engineering troops to the region, 140 of which have already arrived.
Last year, when Sudan and the UN differed over the deployment of hybrid peacekeeping forces, China sent a special envoy several times to Khartoum to persuade the government to accept the UN resolution.
“On the issue of Darfur, empty rhetoric will not help,” Liu said. “What is more important is to do more things to help with the peace process there and alleviate the humanitarian crisis.”
In an article summarizing the response of the Chinese public to the decision by Spielberg and some other Westerners to boycott the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese-language current affairs newspaper Global Times Thursday said the moves have “disgusted” ordinary Chinese.
“Western exploitation of the Olympics to pressure China immediately provoked much disgust among ordinary Chinese people,” the paper said.
“The vast majority of Chinese people have expressed bafflement and outrage at the Western pressure. In ordinary Chinese’ eyes, it is totally ridiculous to place the Darfur issue, so many thousands of kilometers away, on China’s shoulders,” it said.
The newspaper quoted Professor Jin Canrong from the Renmin University of China as saying that linking Darfur to the Olympics shows some Western countries were exploiting their “media hegemony” to whip up prejudice.
“Whoever uses this humanitarian issue to criticize China and put pressure on China gains something of a halo,” Jin was quoted as saying.
“The West has seized on China’s tremendous emphasis on the Olympic Games to criticize China.”

from: chinadaily.com.cn 

German Olympic officials won’t gag their athletes over politically sensitive issues at the Beijing Games like the British Olympic Association appeared to attempt. “Our athletes are citizens who are aware of their responsibilities, but they can and will be able to express their opinions,” said German Olympic Committee (DOSB) spokesman Gerd Graus on Tuesday.
Graus said that German athletes must adhere to the Olympic Charter in which “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in the Olympic areas.”
Other countries such as Belgium and the United States have also indicated that they plan no measures beyond the Olympic charter at the Beijing Games, meaning that athletes could speak freely on sensitive issues, such as human rights in China, the death penalty or Tibet, outside the venues.
“The Olympic charter applies to athletes from every country, and we use the charter as our guide. We will not impose prohibitions on free speech with our delegation. We do expect our delegation to comply with the relevant provisions of the Olympic charter,” US Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said.
The issue made headlines on Sunday when a BOA draft of the athletes’ contract was made public, including a new clause outlawing politically sensitive remarks during the Beijing Games.
A public outcry followed, which seemingly forced the BOA to back down.
Spokesman Graham Newsom said on Monday the clause “may have been open to misinterpretation” but that the BOA had “no intention of gagging anyone.” BOA chief executive Simon Clegg said that the final athletes’ agreement will reflect the Olympic charter.

from: earthtimes.org

Beijing Olympic organizers have backed a ban on political protests by athletes
attending this year’s Games amid uproar over an effort to silence British athletes.

Following widespread anger, the British Olympic Association backed down Sunday on its plan to prevent competitors from commenting on “politically sensitive issues” surrounding the August 8-24 Games.
Beijing Olympic organising committee spokesman Sun Weide said he had no direct comment to make on the controversy swirling in Britain.
But he said all athletes were expected to follow the Olympic Charter, drawn up by the International Olympic Committee, which outlaws political acts.
“I hope that the Olympic spirit will be followed and also the relevant IOC regulations will be followed in every regard,” said Sun when asked for comment about the issue of political protests.
China is believed to be concerned that some of the 10,000 athletes expected here for the Games could be used by human rights activists and other groups to stage protests designed to draw attention to their causes.
But according to a number of national Olympic committees in Asia contacted by AFP, China has put no pressure on countries to silence their Olympians and Sun insisted Beijing wanted to welcome all competitors.
“Beijing welcomes all athletes from around the world to participate in the Beijing Olympic Games and we have been trying hard to create the best possible conditions for athletes to do so,” he said.
The controversy erupted after the Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that the BOA had threatened that any athlete who refused to sign the gag order would not be allowed to travel to China.
Any participant who signed the order and then spoke out during the Games would be sent home, according to the initial plan.
The controversial clause in the contract stated that athletes “are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues.”
It then refers to Section 51 of the Olympic Charter, which says, “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
Following the uproar, the BOA said it would have another look at the wording of the controversial clause.
BOA chief executive Simon Clegg said the “interpretation of one part of the draft BOA’s Team Members’ Agreement appears to have gone beyond the provision of the Olympic Charter.”
Though some countries are known to have told their athletes to respect the charter while in Beijing, none appear to have gone as far as the BOA.
Several national Olympic committees contacted by AFP said they had no agreements limiting free speech and denied there was any pressure from China to do so.
“Maybe the British are very different and they speak out more,” said Chris Chan, secretary general of the Singapore National Olympic Council.
“But I don’t think our athletes or even those from Southeast Asia dare to speak their minds.”
The Thai Olympic Committee said athletes automatically knew not to comment on sensitive matters.
Issues considered politically sensitive in communist-ruled China range from human rights, religious freedom, Tibet, Taiwan to Beijing’s role in Sudan.
In response to rising criticism at home and from overseas, the Chinese government has tightened its grip on critics, with a number of opponents of the regime detained in recent months.
International press freedom groups have accused China of failing to live up to a promise that it would grant unfettered access to the country for foreign journalists covering the Games.

from: eurosport.yahoo.com 

Germany is to send a delegation consisting of some 450 athletes to the Beijing Olympic Games, to be held in August, a spokeswoman from the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) said on Wednesday.
In a phone interview with Xinhua, DOSB spokesman Micheal Schirp said the figure is subject to change as entry tickets for some events, like men’s basketball, are still uncertain so far.
“The German delegation will be the biggest one from Europe,” he said.
According to DOSB schedule, the first batches of athletes will be nominated on May 29, and the list will be finalized on July 15. On July 26, a grand farewell party will be held in Berlin to see off the delegation.
Schirp said the DOSB does not set the objective for winning medals in Beijing, but he expected the German delegation will be within the “second group”, at least maintaining the sixth place as they took in Athens in 2004.
In 2004, Germany sent a delegation consisting of 452 athletes to the Athens Olympic Games, and they brought home 49 medals, including 13 golds.

from: chinadaily.com.cn 

Beijing Olympics organizers Wednesday unveiled the image and look of the torch relay that are full of Chinese feature.
The design of the image and look of the torch relay includes five components – the torch and collaterals; the torch relay uniforms; the convoy and chartered aircraft; the backdrop; and the city look.
“Blue and red dominate the backdrops for the Beijing Olympic torch relay, which adapt to the characteristics of different scenes, with the aim of transmitting the excitement of the torch relay,” Qu Yingpu, spokesman for the Beijing Organizing Committee’s Torch Relay Center, told reporters at the unveiling ceremony.
The inspiration for the original design of the torch relay lantern comes from the traditional lanterns used inside ancient Chinese palaces. The silver luster of the lantern coupled with crystal-clear glass serves as a foil to the flame and communicates the Olympic flame’s sanctity and purity.
The torch stand’s design borrows from the architectural styles of the Han and Tang dynasties, with its base showcasing “lucky clouds” drifting away, as if gently calling out to the torch.
The Beijing Olympic cauldron is based on the concept of a “round heaven and square earth” and uses a typical cauldron in the Chinese Bronze Age as well as the “lucky clouds” as its creative elements.
The 56 “lucky clouds” hollowed out of the curved plate of the Olympic cauldron symbolize well wishes to the world from the 56 ethnic groups in China, while the base of the cauldron has four legs with eight faces, symbolizing that the Beijing Olympic Games welcomes friends from all directions across the world, said Qu.

Photo released on Jan. 16, 2008 at a press conference shows the design of the Beijing Olympics chartered aircraft. (Xinhua Photo)

The Olympic cauldron stands 130 centimeters high, symbolizing the 130-day duration of the torch relay. The cauldron plate is 29 centimeters deep, symbolizing the 29th Olympiad. The cauldron post is 112 meters tall, symbolizing the 112 years that have passed between the staging of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and the 2008 Olympic Games.
The look of the convoy for the torch relay takes red and yellow as its basic colors, echoing the colors of the sacred flame and the torch, creating an exciting and dynamic visual effect and making the convoy a true mobile carrier of the Olympic spirit and the concepts of the Beijing Olympics.
The convoy consists of 13 automobiles and six motorcycles. Except for the police car and the ambulance, every other type of vehicle has a unique look but shares integral components with the rest of the convoy.
The design of the chartered aircraft highlight the message of the Beijing 2008 Olympic torch relay and the slogan of “Light the Passion Share the Dream“.
The uniforms for the Beijing Olympic torch relay include those for torchbearers, escort runners and staff members. As required by the IOC, white should be the basic color of the torchbearers’ uniforms. The basic elements of the escort runners’ uniforms are similar to those of the torchbearers, but their basic color is blue.

from: xinhuanet.com 

Presenting images of phoenixes and lanterns, Beijing Games officials Wednesday painted a fuller picture of how the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay (BOTR) will look, including costumes for torchbearers and design tips to get Chinese cities in a festive spirit.
If world-record hurdler Liu Xiang and NBA All-Star Yao Ming have their torchbearer applications endorsed as expected, they will run their 200m stretches in white, red, yellow-orange and matte silver uniforms bearing the image of a phoenix on the upper left side.
Escort runners will mainly be dressed in blue, and staff in blue and white, as organizers unveiled a color-coded key of who’s who during the torch’s 130-day odyssey.
Starting on March 25 at the birthplace of the modern Olympics, the torch will be passed from hand to hand by nearly 22,000 bearers covering an unprecedented distance of 137,000 km. Its journey will take it to the highest point on earth, the summit of Mt Qomolangma (Everest), as well as 113 cities and regions in China and 19 other countries.
BOTR spokesman Qu Yingpu said the International Olympic Committee imposes strict guidelines on how the torchbearers’ uniforms should look, with only minor deviations permitted. As well a white background, enough space must be left to include the Olympic rings and Beijing Games emblem, which will both be printed on the back, and a composite sponsor logo. No other commercial symbols are allowed.
Keen to showcase its breakneck economic development as well as its former glory, the Olympic host is reaching back to its 5,000-year history to make sure the torch relay goes down as one to be remembered for the ages.
The lantern used to house an emergency back-up flame lit from the original in Olympia resembles the kind used in ancient Chinese palaces, while the torch stand borrows architectural styles from both the Han (206BC-AD220) and Tang (AD618-907) dynasties.
The Lenovo-designed torch was unveiled in April as resembling a paper scroll embossed with red-colored “Lucky Clouds” on an aluminum base. Paper-making ranks as one of China’s four great inventions along with gunpowder, the compass and printing techniques. The torch is designed to burn for 15 minutes and can withstand relatively strong gales (65kph) and downpours.
The cauldron that is used to symbolize the end of the relay visually represents the Chinese concept of a “round heaven and square earth” – the same principle that was applied when designing the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, the two centerpieces of the Games.
Even the aircraft that have been chartered to ferry the flame to five continents will be dressed up in the Beijing Olympic colors of red and yellow to conform to the imagery of a “Flying Phoenix”. The convoy of 13 automobiles and six motorcycles will look more like a snaking stream of fire.
Chinese cities will have a choice of arresting banners, outdoor advertisements and other TV-friendly backdrops. Huge banners bearing the words “journey of harmony” will be draped across bridges and other public spaces.

from: chinadaily.com.cn 

A 22.1 billion yuan investment has increased Beijing’s power supply by 33 percent to 68.9 million kilo-voltage amperes (kva) to meet peak demand during the Olympic Games in August.
“Seventy more above 110 kv transformer substations were added to the power grid, bringing the total to 337,” said Zhao Honglei, Beijing Municipal Electric Power Corporation spokesman, on Wednesday. “The maximum power supply was increased from 52 million kva to the current 68.9 million kva.”
In September 2006, Beijing invested 22.1 billion yuan (about 3 billion U.S. dollars) in upgrading its electricity networks. The project was completed on January 1.
“The power grid in Beijing is well equipped and able to resist heat, humidity, thunder and other extreme weather,” said Zhao. “It will ensure a safe and stable electricity supply for the Olympic stadiums.”
Zhao said the maximum power load during the Games is expected to hit a record 14.6 million kilowatts since the events coincide with the city’s peak power demand in summer.
Electricity demand in Beijing fluctuates with climate change and the city greatly relies on power imported from other areas.
Air-conditioning use is believed to be the main cause of rising consumption during summer.

from: xinhuanet.com 

China’s less-than-sparkling reputation for air pollution and food safety have led Olympic teams from 20 countries to plan to hold their training camps in Japan rather than in China in the weeks leading up to this year’s Beijing Games.
Many top-class athletes from around the world are likely to be making their final tune-ups from Hokkaido to Kyushu this summer, despite having to pay more to train here than they would in China.
“Training here might cost a little more, but Japan has a proven record as a country where final preparations can be made for a major event because it has held such events as the world athletics championships,” an official from one such country said.
Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States are among nations planning to hold training camps in Japan, according to the Japanese Olympic Committee and other sources.
Various teams from eight countries have settled on locations in Japan where they wish to make their final preparations for the first Summer Olympics to be held in Asia since the Seoul Games in 1988.
Sportsmen and women in events such as athletics, swimming and canoeing will come to Japan in July and August to prepare for the Beijing Games, which open on Aug. 8.
Teams from many countries have had difficulty in securing training locations once they have moved into the Olympic village. Instead, they have opted to hold training camps for previous Games in the vicinity of the host city to help athletes acclimatize and to minimize problems with time differences.
But a number of factors are putting teams off from training near Beijing.
“I want to avoid the risk of a long stay in Beijing,” said the coach of the Finnish rowing team on a visit to Kagawa Prefecture in November to sound out the possibility of holding a training camp there.
The Finnish canoe team also made an approach to the prefecture the following month, leading a prefectural government official to suggest that “competitors in outdoor events have got the jitters about the air quality.”
The manager of the British swimming team also reportedly told an Osaka municipal government official of their “anxiety” over air pollution and food in China.
Some national teams have decided to hold camps in the same locations as they did for last summer’s athletics championships in Osaka.
The Finnish athletics team will be based in Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture, a city where nine countries held camps before the Osaka championships.
Ireland’s athletics coach gushed about Matsue as a training location, saying, “Everything–the facilities, food and accommodation–was good.”
Athletes from Germany who trained in Shibetsu, Hokkaido, for the Osaka championships were so pleased with the city that they chose to train there again.
“We could train in peace, which helped us put up a good performance,” one competitor said.
The French judo team has decided on Tenri University in Tenri, Nara Prefecture, because of a connection with a coach who they had invited to come to France from the university.
Sweden plans to send 150 athletes in 19 sports to Fukuoka and nearby locations because “the stadium is in a forest, the conditions are similar to the host country and the athletes can relax there,” a team spokesman said.
Officials from local authorities that will host the athletes are intent on getting their municipalities better known and hosting international exchanges.
“This is a chance to get the name of Fukuoka known across the world,” a municipal official said. “I hope we can establish opportunities for residents of the city to see world-class athletes up close through open training sessions and other means.”
The Osaka municipal government has gained the consent of the British swimming team to have its swimmers instruct local children.
Hokkaido will host this year’s Group of Eight summit meeting at the Lake Toya hot-spring resort area in Toyakocho before the Games open this summer.
At a November party in a Tokyo hotel for ambassadors and officials of countries taking part in the summit, Hokkaido Gov. Harumi Takahashi handed out pamphlets from 17 municipalities hoping to entice Olympic teams to hold camps there.
Each of these municipalities is optimistic about the ripple effect of having teams based there.
“Even if we foot the bill for the athletes’ transportation and use of facilities, there should be a big economic effect if recognition [of the city's name] increases,” a spokesman for the Shibetsu municipal government said.
Even Hiroshima, which is yet to field any inquiries, has made preparations such as shelving plans for annually held competitions to secure training facilities, just in case athletes come knocking.
“We’ve prepared facilities and we have direct flights from Hiroshima Airport to Beijing,” a city official said. “The competition for hosting training camps hasn’t started yet.”
As the Olympics draw closer, more and more countries seem likely to choose Japan as a base to prepare for the Games.

from: yomiuri.co.jp

Workers have completed laying the tracks for intercity high-speed railway between Beijing and Tianjin on Sunday morning, the first of its kind in China.
The 200-km rail, starts from the Beijing South Railway Station in the downtown area and ends at Tianjin Railway Station, passing through the districts of Yizhuang Industrial Park, Yongle New Town and and Tianjin’s Yangcun, said a spokesman of the railway project.
Designed for a full speed of 350 kilometers per hour, the railway will shorten the journey between the two cities from the current 70 minutes to around 30 minutes.
A maximum of 20 pairs of trains will run on the new rail route per hour. Starting at an interval of 3 minutes, the trains are expected to carry up to 18,000 passengers per hour. At a cost of more than 13.3 billion yuan (about 1.8 billion U.S. dollars), the project started in July 4, 2005 and will be operational before the Beijing Olympic Games in next August.
According to the blueprint of the Ministry of Railway, intercity high-speed railway network will be set up in the economic developed areas, including the Yangtze River Delta, the Bohai Sea Ring area and the Pearl River Delta, by 2020.

Photo taken on Dec. 15, 2007 shows a segment of the Beijing-Tianjin intercity high-speed railway in downtown Tianjin, north China. Workers completed the laying of track for the intercity high-speed railway between Beijing, China’s capital, and the neighboring coastal city of Tianjin, the first of its kind in China, on Dec. 16, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)

 from: beijing2008.cn