International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said in Beijing Monday that the Olympic Games are not getting over commercialized. He said, “I would be very surprised by what people say (about over commercialization) because…if you look at the Olympic Games you will not see advertising and billboards in the stadium like what you see in all other major sports competitions. And we are the only major sports competition where there is no prize money for the athletes”.
His remarks came after some people voiced concerns about the over commercialization of the Beijing 2008 Games which has dozens of sponsors and is expected to make an unprecedented profit.
He said, “if the IOC would not get the support of the commercial world and the television rights, then we could not afford to spend money in developing countries like what we are doing now”.
Meanwhile China has set up a group to monitor air quality in Beijing and four regions in the area to ensure the 2008 Games are pollution free, reports the state press. The coordinating group, made up of environmental officials from the cities, provinces and regions of Beijing, will set up a unified air pollution prevention system that will include a monitoring mechanism.
Also, Beijing wants to ensure a safe Olympic Games and plans to build more than 100 emergency shelters near Olympic Games venues and the central business district before 2008, reports the Beijing Daily. It’s the city’s emergency response and disaster relief plan for the next five years.
