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Sports |
Countdown to Olympics on
THE one-year countdown to Beijing’s
Olympics Games was celebrated in style yesterday in the Chinese
capital Beijing when Games chief Jacques Rogge, concerned about
pollution, said events might have to be rescheduled if air quality
is not up to scratch. In Papua New Guinea, this event went largely
unnoticed as PNG sports officials geared their count down to
securing funds for the Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa, less than a
month away (see stories, page 43).
In Beijing though, Rogge said that overall he was happy with
preparations but that some competitions might have to be moved if
continuing efforts by organisers to clean up the air were
unsuccessful.
Australian Olympic Committee chief John Coates echoed the same
sentiments yesterday in Sydney after returning from Beijing,
saying that there were still concerns about environmental matters,
especially the pollution caused by the humidity and the smog. (see
story, page 43).
PNG and other Pacific Island nations have not indicated their
plans for the Beijing Games but this will depend very much on
individuals, and individual sports performances in Apia.
However, yesterday the most intensely scrutinised preparations for
any Games in Olympic history brought forth a barrage of criticism
for communist-ruled China on issues such as human rights, press
freedom, pollution, food safety and Tibet.
n To Page 43
The chance of protests means security will be tight at the main
event of the day, a gala celebration in front of 10,000 people on
Tiananmen Square, where troops put down the 1989 pro-democracy
demonstrations with huge loss of life.
Rogge will be on hand with Chinese political leaders to watch a
countdown clock run down to exactly 366 days to go - 2008 is a
leap year - at 8:08pm (2208 AEST) on the eighth day of the eighth
month, an auspicious date and time.
The Belgian will also host a ceremony in which more than 200
countries and regions will be formally invited to take part in
next year’s Games.
The first of 26 test events being held in Beijing this year also
got under way yesterday with the opening heats of the world junior
rowing championships at a brand new venue an hour outside the
city. – Reuters
 
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