Beijing officials have asked the International Olympic Committee to change the dates of the 2008 Olympic Games to avoid the city’s intense mid-summer heat. There are concerns that soaring temperatures could make life very difficult for athletes.
There are conflicting reports as to the IOC’s answer to the request. One report quotes Gilbert Felli, the IOC’s sports and Games director saying, “as far as the dates are concerned, they are fixed. The IOC asked the cities during the bidding process to schedule the Games for the last week of July and first week of August. We have agreed to this, although we know that the weather conditions could be a bit tough, the dates were set as part of the bidding process”.
But according to the Associated Press, IOC members said that was the first time Games’ dates were locked into the legally binding bid contract. But they hinted at flexibility.
Athletes have already begun warning that the conditions could prove hard going. Felli says, “I’m sure at the end of the day the athletes’ condition will prevail”. And Hein Verbruggen, head of the Beijing 2008 coordination commission adds, “if there is a worry…we believe we should listen”.
