Sports Chiefs Have High Hopes for Beijing

Beijing 2008: The 2008 Olympic Games will probably be the first time many Chinese have watched Olympic cycling competitions in person. What do you think will be the major attraction for Chinese fans?

Pat McQuaid: The 2008 Olympic Games is definitely worth viewing. The cycling competitions start from the city centre and end at the foot of the Great Wall. Chinese athletes may have more chances to win medals at the Games in their home country, especially Chinese women athletes, who are quite competitive. I believe fierce competitions can be enjoyed either on site or by watching them on TV. BMX (bicycle motocross) has been added to the Olympic Games for the first time and the competitions will be quite exciting.

BMX is very popular among teenagers. Are the rules easy to understand?

Yes, this sport is very attractive. Teams compete in a small area and the individual who takes the least time to finish is the winner. The rules of BMX are simpler than those of track cycling. Different events have different rules, and I believe they will be easily understood with professional explanations.

China's women team did well at the 2004 Olympic Games. How can they do better? 

All I can say is to do their best; they are likely to win medals at the 2008 Olympic Games. Competing at home will be a good chance for Chinese athletes to win.                          Competition routes for the 2008 Olympic Games have been confirmed. How does it compare with those of past Games?

It is indeed special. At the 2000 Sydney Games, the competition route encircled a park, about 15 kilometres long. It was very difficult to find a completely even route in Sydney because there are so many hills in the city. There is no such problem in Beijing. The city is big and roads are smooth. Competitions will begin at Tian'anmen Square and end at the Badaling section of the Great Wall. Many ancient buildings and cultural sites can be seen along the route. This is also the first time in Olympic history that cycling competitions will go past the Great Wall. Helicopters will record the entire process and the Great Wall will serve as a fantastic setting.

What will it be like to watch on TV?

Spectacular! Beijingers can certainly watch competitions without buying a ticket, and people around the world will be able to watch the exciting competitions and see the cultural relics of Beijing.

 

 

 

Beijing 2008: What do you think of BOCOG?

Bob Elphinston: Their preparations are going very well. It’s a great honour for us to work with of BOCOG, and the sports department in particular. The Chinese people are very proud to host an Olympic Games, and they are working very hard to ensure the best Games ever.

What about the ticket prices for the 2008 Games?

Ticket prices are reasonable. The most important thing, for basketball and the whole Olympic Games, is that we want to see every stadium full for every match.

We have had wonderful crowds supporting basketball in the last three Games, and we want to see the same here in Beijing. We are pleased that the ticket prices will make it possible for hundreds of thousands of Chinese fans to watch the basketball games.

What will make Chinese spectators go to the venues to see the competitions?

First, these are fast, exciting and high-scoring games. It is easy for spectators to understand. It is recognized that the basketball players are good athletes, that they are very quick and that they are agile and spectacular.

Second, a magnificent new arena in Wukesong with 18,000 seats will be used. It is probably the best in the world.

Third, Yao Ming, the most popular sports person in China: I think he alone can attract many Chinese people to see the games and achieve a good result.

How do you think Chinese players will perform at the 2008 Games?

For basketball, both men’s and women’s teams have very experienced international coaches to work with them. They have planned very exciting programmes for matches in different countries around the world. They will make extensive visits to Europe this year for [the 2008 Games] preparations. They are trying hard to make a lot of progress. Both men's and women's team were disappointed at the 2006 World Basketball Championships, but they are expected to do better [in 2008].

Top players’ participation at the Olympic Games is very important for FIBA. Do you plan to take measures to attract more top world players?

Top players are indeed important for both FIBA and the Olympic Games. The difficulty is the calendar. We cannot guarantee that the very best teams will be at every competition. Another problem is we have qualification tournaments for the Olympic Games. Spain is the only other team apart from China that has qualified for the 2008 Games at the moment. We cannot guarantee the world’s six best teams will all come. But the teams that have accepted the invitation [to take part in the 2008 Olympics] are very strong. We are glad to see that teams like Venezuela and New Zealand will come next year.