In celebration of the two-year countdown for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, about one million people took part in thousands of activities in Beijing Tuesday. There were 4,905 separate events in parks and other open spaces across the city, reports Xinhua.
AFP reports that China will televise the Games live to the world without the brief delay normally used in Chinese broadcasting. Wang Wei, executive vice president and secretary general of Beijing 2008 told a news conference held exactly two years to the day of the Opening Ceremony on August 8, 2008, “it will be live. It won’t be delayed by several seconds”.
Meanwhile preparations for the event are continuing with about 40 test events being held prior to the Games in order to test the venues and facilities as well as the capability of BOCOG to organize international sports competitions in mid and late August. Wang said preparations for the Paralympic Games are going on at the same time and is progressing as planned.
There are 20 sports on the program for the Paralympic Games in which about 4,000 athletes will compete. The emblem of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games titled “Sky, Earth and Human Being” has been unveiled and is reportedly well received by people from all walks of life.
The 2008 Games are drawing a larger-than-usual field of corporate competitors due to China’s immense market. The economy is “red hot” and boasts 1.3 billion consumers. Up to now thirty-six companies have marketing rights to the Games and BOCOG is still choosing a final round of suppliers. Travellers on Beijing’s ring roads can see the 2008 logo splashed across billboards for dozens of different companies.
Some brands are nervous about “ambush marketing” in which brands either steal the Olympic logo or find ways to work Olympic images into their ads. BOCOG is striving to protect sponsors’ rights and to provide services for them. With support from the industrial and commercial administration bureaus across China campaigns have been launched to protect the Olympic brand via anti-ambush marketing efforts.
BOCOG has already shut down some unauthorized use of its logo and is considering launching education campaigns to inform the public about the phenomenon.
Meanwhile Reporters Without Borders, an international body monitoring press freedom worldwide, urged Beijing 2008 and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Monday to pressure the Chinese government to guarantee that journalists will be able to move about freely and write without fear of reprisals before and after the Games.
Beijing 2008 organizers countered Tuesday, reiterating their commitment to offering the media the same freedom they have enjoyed at previous Games.
Jiang Xiaoyu, executive vice president of BOCOG said at a press conference, “if our existing regulations and practice conflict with Olympic norms and our promise, we will make changes to conform with the IOC’s requirements and Games norms”.
Jiang said the commitment applied to journalists accredited by the IOC to cover the Games and also those without accreditation. He added, “but all the reporters will have to abide by China’s laws”.
