The sun’s rays in ancient Olympia, Greece will light the Olympic torch on March 24 said Beijing 2008.
Li Ping, spokeswoman for BOCOG’s Olympic Torch Relay Center, told the Beijing Morning Post, “we will continue with the traditional way to kindle the flame as it symbolizes the purity of the Olympic flame. The flame is lit using a concave mirror to focus the rays of the sun, and a back-up fire will be prepared the same way during the rehearsal phase in case of cloudy weather on March 24”.
The flame will be handed to BOCOG at 3 p.m. March 30 at the Panathenian Stadium in Athens, site of the first modern Olympic Games held in 1896.
China Daily reports that following a reception in Beijing on March 31 the flame will begin its global tour of 135 cities around the world on April 1, covering 137,000 km in 130 days before it arrives at the National Stadium in Beijing on August 8 for the Opening Ceremony.
Meanwhile, Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), expressed concerns Sunday about a Chinese government crackdown in Tibet and neighbouring provinces, reports ESPN.
He told reporters, “we are very concerned. The IOC hopes that there can be an appeasement as soon as possible to this situation, and I also want to offer our condolences to the relatives of the people who lost their lives”.
According to ESPN Rogge flatly rejected Saturday the idea of boycotting the Summer Games in Beijing, saying it would only penalize athletes. He declined to say whether the IOC would change its stance if the fierce crackdown continues.
