The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to address the erosion of press freedom in China ahead of the Beijing 2008 Summer Games. A CPJ delegation voiced its concerns that Chinese journalists, in particular, “will bear the brunt of official retribution after the Games are over” and it said the people look to the IOC to take a position on the issue “because of the principles of free, open exchange and transparency that the Olympics represent”.
The IOC said it is not their policy to comment publicly on their discussions with host countries and they prefer to work discreetly, but added “assurances have been made that the media will have access to perform their tasks as journalists reporting on the Games”.
Wang Wei, executive vice president and secretary general of Beijing 2008 informed the Beijing Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium of progress in several areas. Construction is underway on all new Olympic venues and all venues, and auxiliary facilities will be completed by the end of 2007. The IOC has confirmed competition schedules and the international sport federations has confirmed the appointment of competition managers for all 28 sports. In 2007 and 2008 BOCOG will conduct 40 test events for an all-round assessment of the Olympic preparations. Preparations for the Paralympic Games are underway, the competition schedule by day has been finalized, and the schedule by session has been submitted to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Also the Olympic marketing program has yielded good results. So far 32 Chinese and foreign enterprises have been selected as Beijing Olympic Games partners, sponsors or suppliers while 11 IOC Worldwide Olympic Partners will also provide assistance and support for the Beijing 2008 Games.
Beijing 2008 has selected 826 Games interns. In September Beijing 2008 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 16 Beijing-based universities and colleges to jointly train 706 interns and recently 120 interns were added to the list once the plan was reviewed.
Finally, white mice will be used to test the athletes’ food to make sure it isn’t poisoned, reports the Xinhua news agency. Zhao Xinsheng of the Beijing Municipal Health Inspection Bureau said, “milk, alcohol, salad, rice, oil, salt and seasonings will be tested by white mice 24 hours before they are used in cooking or served to athletes”. He said mice would develop adverse reactions to poisoning within 17 hours, sooner than test methods like bacteria cultures. Zhen Xiaozhen of the medical team of the Beijing Organising Committee said most of the Western food arriving at the Olympic restaurants would be monitored and recorded by control headquarters and food storage areas will be fitted with alarms, video cameras and fire controls, while the kitchens will be guarded around the clock.
