Beijing 2008 Update

The program for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games has been finalized and includes 28 sports made up of 302 events – 165 men’s events, 127 women’s events and ten mixed events. The 127 women’s events are an increase compared to the 125 women’s events in Athens. About 130 more female athletes will be competing at the Beijing 2008 Games.

There are several new events added to the program for Beijing 2008. They include the women’s 3,000-metre steeplechase, men’s and women’s BMX, women’s foil and sabre team events, men’s and women’s marathon swimming 10 km events, and the replacement of the doubles events in table tennis by team events.

An Olympic security training programme launched Thursday will show visitors what they can expect at the 2008 Games. Security Director Qiang Wei said, “we will carry on a principle of ‘walking out and inviting in’ in the Olympic security training program, learning from the successful experiences and usual practice of past Olympics”. All of Beijing’s 40,000 police officers will take part in the training and about 60 per cent of them will get some training in English, Spanish, French, German and Arabic. Zhao Yuan, director of training and personnel for Beijing’s police said, “we have had very close cooperation with France, Germany and Britain on counter-terrorism. Because of the international situation we have to be prepared for anything”.

Beijing 2008 and the People’s Bank of China signed an agreement Wednesday officially kicking off the Beijing 2008 Olympic Numismatic Program. According to the agreement the bank will issue Olympic commemorative banknotes and coins in the next three years, including nine gold coins, 14 silver coins, eight base metal coins and one banknote. China has already issued commemorative precious metal coins, pins and gold bars since 2001 when Beijing was awarded the 2008 Games.

Beijing 2008 organizers have hired the global communication consulting firm Hill & Knowlton as its communications consultancy. The company will help BOCOG implement the communication plans for the 2008 Games by providing support for major events, communications outreach to the international media and assistance in communicating Beijing’s Olympic vision. Write or read comments about this article

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