Following its seventh visit to Vancouver, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission said that the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee (VANOC) is on the right track to host “top quality Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2010”.
IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Rene Fasel said, “with the Beijing Games now over, it is Vancouver 2010’s turn to step into the spotlight and I am confident that Vancouver 2010 can also raise the bar for the Olympic Winter Games. Our Canadian friends learned many important lessons during their stay in Beijing as part of the IOC’s Observer’s Programme, and this can be seen in their planning, which is being fine-tuned as VANOC moves into its operational phase”.
He added, “while John Furlong and his team are in the process of finalizing a number of key Games-time plans, such as transport, volunteers and staffing, which is normal for an Organizing Committee at this stage, we feel if they can quickly finish them over the coming few months then they will be in a very good position going into their operational phase at the end of next year. It’s crucial though that no time is lost, because the Games are an immoveable deadline and the margin for error is greatly reduced as we get into the final year of preparations”.
The Commission also reviewed the venues in Whistler, host of the skiing and sliding sports as well as the athletes’ village.
Fasel said, “the competition venues in Whistler are truly spectacular and will provide a fantastic backdrop for the athletes as they strive for sporting excellence. It is particularly reassuring to see that they are all largely complete and are already being used”.
VANOC chairman Jack Poole said, “as we expected, the pace has increased after the Beijing Games and it requires our team to be able to respond quickly to change, particularly given the challenging economy. In these circumstances the guidance and insights provided by the IOC are particularly valuable. We were proud this week to showcase to our partners and receive positive feedback on our sport venues and the legacies being created”.
VANOC CEO John Furlong said, “as always, our friends at the IOC ask great questions and stimulate important discussions. While this review has been extremely reassuring for our team, we must stay completely focused and not become complacent as we face the major operational challenges that lie ahead”.
One of those challenges is the worldwide economic storm, reports the Toronto Star. Poole said at a press conference “the challenge to us now is to wring out every non-essential component on the cost side of the budget and make sure we’re doing only what we need to do to put on outstanding Games and (that we have) no unnecessary frills”. But he said it was too early to reveal what frills from the $1.63 billion budget might have to be “sliced” reports the newspaper.
Meanwhile organizing committee vice president Dave Cobb said ticket sales, which opened October 3, are moving along ahead of schedule and Vancouver 2010 organizers still expect to sell out all 1.6 million tickets.
