Home / Environment / News Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
IOC official downplays air quality concerns
Adjust font size:

A senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official on Tuesday played down concerns about Beijing's air quality, saying that the possibilities of rescheduling outdoor endurance events would be low.

With exactly 10 days to go before the Beijing Games opens on August 8, the organizers still face a daunting challenge - the weather. A whole week of hot and humid weather with no rainfall and a persistent haze dampened people's mood and undermined a newly-built confidence in the city's air quality.

When asked about the likelihood of rescheduling endurance events, IOC's Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli said, "Now, we don't feel it necessary."

He added that the IOC would continue to monitor the air quality and take decisions accordingly.

Felli said the low visibility doesn't necessarily mean the air quality is bad.

"Most of the people see the fog, they say it's pollution. But we know here it's not pollution. It's mist, a fact of the nature," Felli told Xinhua during an exclusive interview.

Felli expected the air quality to be up to par with more rains in the coming days.

"Probably more rains will come, and it will get better," he said.

Felli, who has spent the past three weeks inspecting Beijing and other co-host cities including Qingdao, Shanghai and Tianjin, spoke highly of their preparations.

"We could see in different cities a lot of enthusiasm, and a lot of quality work has been done... We feel that everything is ready," said Felli.

"But it's always the same, you have to wait for people to come, because your plan for transport, your plan for accommodation, all these issues can be verified only when people are here. Before you see it on paper," he added.

Felli, who was also a member of the IOC inspection team that has visited Beijing regularly since the city was awarded the games, said that he has mixed feelings as the Games approach.

"It's always an (mixture of) excitement and nervousness 10 days before the games, mainly when you are responsible for the operations, because you want to make sure that everybody is happy and you don't have flaws on your system. So it's always tense, but, of course, excitement," he said.

The organizers are working around the clock on the opening ceremony, but the content of the opening ceremony is still a closely guarded secret.

"I think it's a good thing to keep it as a secret," said Felli.

"I know some people in the IOC administration could go and request to see the rehearsal of the opening ceremony, but they don't want to go, because they want to be surprised on August 8."

"As it's a secret, I am not going to tell you anything," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2008)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous

China Archives
Related >>
- Weather condition contributes to low visibility in Beijing
- Beijing promises air quality during Games
- Beijingers see air quality improving
- Air fit for Olympics: IOC report
- IOC: Beijing air quality not to harm athletes
- Beijing, neighboring areas ensure air quality for Olympics
Most Viewed >>
- All measures taken to ensure clear skies
- Unidentified acaleph-like aquatic found in SE China
- 10 rare flowers and plants in the world
- Shanghai's Pudong treats its garbage cleanly
- Int'l flowers exhibition in Beijing Botanical Garden
Air Quality 
Cities Major Pollutant Air Quality Level
Beijing particulate matter I
Shanghai particulate matter I
Guangzhou particulate matter II
Chongqing particulate matter II
Xi'an particulate matter II
NGO Events Calendar Tips
- Environmental English Training (EET) class
- Hand in hand to protect endangered animals and plants
- Changchun, Mini-marathon Aimed at Protecting Siberian Tiger
- Water Walk by Nature University
- Green Earth Documentary Salon
More
Archives
Sichuan Earthquake

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Sichuan Province at 2:28 PM on May 12.

Panda Facts
A record 28 panda cubs born via artificial insemination have survived in 2006.
South China Karst
Rich and unique karst landforms located in south China display exceptional natural beauty.
Saving the Tibetan Antelopes
The rare animals survive in the harsh natural environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
More
Laws & Regulations
- Forestry Law of the People's Republic of China
- Meteorology Law of the People's Republic of China
- Fire Control Law of the People's Republic of China
- Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters
- Law of the People's Republic of China on Conserving Energy
More
Links:
State Environmental Protection Administration
Ministry of Water Resources
Ministry of Land and Resources
China Environmental Industry Network
Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base