Equestrian events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be staged in Hong Kong.
The switch of Olympic venue - the most radical since 1956 when Stockholm filled in for Melbourne, also for equestrian - was announced on Friday after lengthy negotiations between Games organisers and the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).
The FEI had consistently opposed the Beijing organizing committee's plan to relocate the events to the former British colony, which was handed back to China in 1997, saying it would cause them to feel "separate" from the Games.
Beijing officials had insisted that moving the events was necessary because of "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing a disease-free zone".
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been attempting to broker a solution.
"I wish to thank both parties for having found a solution to a difficult problem," IOC president Jacques Rogge said.
"Everyone would have wished the competition could have taken place in Beijing, but sanitary problems made this very difficult.
"I wish to thank the FEI for having shown a great support for the Olympic movement in agreeing to this relocation. The IOC will do everything to ensure the event is a great success."
Main objective
The IOC's co-ordination commission chairman, Hein Verbruggen, said: "We are confident there will be a wonderful Olympic equestrian competition in Hong Kong."
FEI president Infanta Dona Pilar said Beijing organisers (BOCOG) had assured the federation they would provide the best conditions for the horses and riders in Hong Kong.
"This has always been our main objective," she said.
BOCOG vice-president Wang Wei said: "We are delighted that the best possible solution for the Beijing 2008 equestrian competition has been found."
Hong Kong National Olympic Committee president Timothy Fok welcomed the move.
"Hong Kong is delighted to have this opportunity to contribute further to the Olympic movement," he said.
Top standard services
Beijing will provide participants in the 2008 Olympic Games with the highest standard of services, President of BOCOG Liu Qi said on Friday.
Reporting on the preparation for the Beijing Games to members of the IOC at its 117th Session, Liu assured the Committee that BOCOG will head the initiative to ensure all the necessary services and accompanying programmes are in place.
"The success of Olympic security work has a direct bearing on the successful staging of the Olympic Games," he said, vowing to provide effective, well-planned and friendly security for all Olympic participants.
Beijing will also take care of the accreditation, accommodation, transportation, catering as well as volunteer and language services concerning all media staff in an efficient and considerate way, he assured.
In terms of transport services, Liu noted that the Beijing Municipal Government has stepped up efforts to speed up the construction of the transportation infrastructure, improve traffic management, and educate road users.
Diverse measures like refining public transport routes and opening vehicle leasing services will be taken during the Beijing Games to make sure that transport services are safe, rapid, convenient and comfortable.
Services such as interpreting, facilities for religious adherents, catering, sightseeing and shopping are also included in Liu's enhancement plan.
Baseball, softball dropped
Baseball and softball will not feature in the 2012 London Olympics after they were wiped from the programme in a controversial vote on Friday.
The two sports failed to win a majority of votes in a ballot of members at a meeting of the IOC in Singapore and became the first sports to be axed from the Games since polo in 1936.
The 26 other sports from the Athens 2004 programme polled enough votes and will remain on the programme in London.
Baseball and softball's ejection opens the door for two from either golf, squash, karate, rugby sevens or roller sports to be added.
The IOC's Executive Board will propose two from the five and members will vote on their inclusion on Saturday.
In 2002 the IOC decided to cap the numbers of Olympic Games sports at 28, the number of events at 301 and the number of athletes at 10,500.
At that same session in Mexico City, President Rogge proposed that baseball, softball and modern pentathlon be dropped, and golf and rugby union added.
However, IOC members resisted and no vote was taken.
"This is payback for Mexico City," a visibly shocked softball federation chief Don Porter said on Friday. "They wanted us out in 2002. It has taken them three years but they have got us.
Unexpected result
"We didn't expect this at all. The discussions we have had all week led us to believe we were safe to assume the programme would remain unchanged for 2012.
"I don't want to say it's an anti-US thing, but they are two native American sports."
Baseball federation president Aldo Notari said: "The problem with baseball is that the best players are not going to the Olympics Games.
"But baseball is still in Beijing. It is still necessary to work for the future in 2016," the Italian added.
Rogge urged the two sports not to lose heart. "Needless to say, these sports will be disappointed," he said. "But this does not disqualify them for ever.
"Olympic sports they are in Beijing, and Olympic sports they will remain. As such they will remain eligible for the Olympic programme after 2012."
The sports programme for 2016 will be voted on after the 2008 Beijing Games.
Once again all sports will be put to a vote one-by-one.
(China Daily July 9, 2005)
