BOCOG/IPC joint press conference

Date/Time: 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 6

Venue: Main Press Conference (MPC)

Sun Weide

Good morning everyone. Welcome to the first BOCOG/IPC joint press conference. Joining us today are Mr. Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC); Mr. Wang Wei, the executive vice president and secretary general of BOCOG; Steffi Klein, IPC Media and Communications Senior Manager; and Zhang Qiuping, director of the BOCOG Paralympic Games Department of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad;

First, let me give the floor to Mr. Wang Wei.

Wang Wei

I. General Overview of the Preparations

In general, the preparations are going well. On September 6, the competition venues received 657 training teams, 2,329 athletes, 1,317 team officials and 23 journalists. The training venues received 1,055 athletes, 247 team officials, 37 technical officials and 45 journalists. Yesterday was the first day of the Paralympic torch relay in Beijing.

1. Statistics on Participating Athletes:

3,599 sports entry forms were sent in by 147 NPCs. 4,032 athletes have been registered of their entry. To date, over 4,000 participants from 144 delegations have confirmed their participation. It is estimated that there will be 147 countries and regions participating in the Beijing Paralympic Games.

2. Accommodation Services:

240 people from 5 delegations have recently arrived at the Paralympic Village. A total number of 7,234 people from 143 delegations are currently residing there, among which around 1,700 are athletes using a wheelchair. The total number of athletes using a wheelchair is estimated to reach 1,750.

3. Number of International Dignitaries Attending the Opening Ceremony:

Around 20 international dignitaries plus 50 sports ministers will attend the Opening Ceremony.

4. Ticket Sales

A total of 1,042,717 tickets have already been sold to the public, not including tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies. 620,000 tickets have been allocated through education program.

II. Preparatory Work of Venue Operations

Since the opening of the Paralympic Village on August 30, all venue operations have been running smoothly, including reception services for athletes in training and general service. The Beijing Paralympic Games will host a total of 21 disciplines of 20 sports, which amounts to 212 sessions. Out of 1,307 competition events, a total of 472 gold medals will be awarded.

III. Installation of Accessible Facilities

2,874 accessible seats have been installed in the competition venues. All venues are facilitated with accessible lifts as well as well-arranged accessible signage systems. A total of 611 dedicated accessible vehicles are prepared, among which 429 are buses and 182 vans.

IV. Weather Forecast

Beijing: cloudy with rain showers.

Hong Kong: moderate rain.

Qingdao: cloudy.

Sun Weide

Thank you, Mr. Wang Wei. Now I would like to handle over the floor to Sir Philip Craven.

Philip Craven

Thank you Wang Wei for the statistics. I am glad that I don't have to at this stage anyway, firing any more statistics. I just want to give you an overview of my feelings and that of the IPC is we are only a few hours away from what is going to be a fantastic Opening Ceremony. We've been generally very pleased with Games preparations, in particular the transition.

One area where this was very tight was in the Village. Within number of hours that we had available, that was completed very effectively. I hope that many of you have spoken to athletes and to Games officials who are both being lodged in the Village. And from my speaking to them, they are very happy with where they live, where they eat in the place that has become home.

We are looking very much forward to the Games, Wang Wei gave you the statistics but really, more countries than ever, more sports than ever and more athletes than ever. Great news for the Paralympic movement.

Going back to really the involvement of China in these Games, the torch relay ceremony, the Temple of Heaven, one of my favorite places on earth, I have to say, was just fantastic. We've seen the torch move throughout China and now come back to Beijing yesterday and today. I took part in early morning yesterday of that torch relay and the enthusiasm from there, both from the runners, the viewers, what ever way you are moving that torch through Beijing was tremendous. I think that is the feeling of the city and that is the feel about the Paralympic Games. And just coming back to this place, really you have to tell me, but are you happy with the main press center. We heard very positive comments and we hope that is again, your home for you during your work during the Games. We hope you are very happy there. I am very happy with the Paralympic hospitality center. I was there for the first time last night. I thought it was fantastic, connected to these facilities here. There are so many positive things. I am not going to say any more at the stage. Let the Games comments. Thank you

Sun Weide

Thank you Mr. Craven. Now the floor is open for questions.

Yomiuri Shimbun

Thank you very much indeed. Very nice to see you, sir. First question to the President, with the Olympic Games competition level coming up on and on, and more and more paralympians trying to participate in the Olympic Games in the future. We've seen the alumni already done this time. Is this a welcoming trend for you or are you consciously welcoming it because of the possibly breach of integrity of Paralympic Games in the future. Allow me to ask Mr. Wang Wei. You said that 143 delegates are confirmed to come. Are you expecting these two or three more to come today?

Philip Craven

Thank you for that question. Concerning paralympians competing in the Olympic Games, this isn't a new trend. If we look at the athletes with perceived the disability, you know it goes back to the early 1900s. So I don't see as the diversion of arising competitive ability of being able to compete in the Olympic Games. These are certain athletes, small number of athletes. Great paralympians, there will be another 3,997, maybe great paralympains also competing here. They are not necessarily super exceptional athletes. They just happen to be in competitive categories in the Paralympic Games, which permit them to compete also in other sport events in the Olympic Games.

Coming to your comment about breach of integrity. Breach of integrity. Wow, definitely not. We are in an athlete centered organization, these are the athletes centered games so the Olympics. We are not talking about competing actually in the Olympics but about fight to have that opportunity. Also athelte Du Toi, and also other athletes. But this isn't integrity, this is about sports this is about the athletes and that is, really.

Wang Wei

To your second question, I think we are anticipating the 2 or 3 delegates arriving today because tonight we will have the athletes' parade at the Opening Ceremony. Thank you.

Around the Rings

What has Beijing brought to the organization of the Paralympic Games that you have not seen in previous edition? And what are you looking for in cities who want to host the 2016 edition? Thank you.

Philip Craven

Beijing, well, we are confident we are going to have great Games here. From my personal perspective, you may not be aware this. But really, this is the first Olympics where I have been the president for the most part of these Games organization. When we have the Games in Athens, which was tremendous Games, I don't really president in 2 and half years. Therefore, really to get a feel for organization, really deep feeling. Maybe you have to be there for the whole period. And so what is Beijing brought that other Games organizing committees may didn't have. I am going to answer the questions but then I am going to say that each city brings its specific culture and specific brilliance to the Games. That is the first impression you get on the games that you are going to compete in. The way the teams have been received, the speed of which they will be moved to potentially very tiring situation for a long flight is brilliant. BOCOG have introduced one or two assistants on the airport. But we never advised them to do and not going to take it on board by using it on future Games. I think it's a very complete Games organization which means that this Games is going to be fantastic. But I'm not going to compare them on this stage or even at the end with other Games because each of the previous editions has been fantastic. 2016, what have we to do. Is London going to try and copy Beijing? Well, in the way the Games are organized, yes I would very much think so. There will be improvements in London as well. Things that maybe we have not thought of. But the culture must come through in the city of the Games. So it will not be a copy of Beijing. If we look on to 2016, we look to Tokyo, we look to Madrid, we look to Rio, we look to Chicago, most people know those cities and these cities are going to show what they are about, what their people are about and what their country is about. They will really reflect the spirit of sport. Now if you want to ask me what the spirit of the sports is, it will take me all day for me to explain it to you. It's the vibrancy and truth of getting the people involved truly in this event. And that what thrills me here in this Games that people will be truly involved. Long answer but here we go.

Reporter from Germany

Mr. Craven, question about the doping issues. The weightlifters have been eye-catching during the last Paralympics Games. Is there another team here on being eye catching on the doping test? How likely that they will be expelled from the Paralympic movement? Second, how many positive doping tests do you expect here in Beijing? Thanks.

Philip Craven

Can I interpret that word eye-catching? You mean they stood out with regard to the number of positive tests in previous Games? Generally our record is very good. I think I agree with you that it's not powerlifting with regard to our sport. Obviously there is no point in me saying that there has not been problem in there. We have been working very hard for the last 4 years both from a testing point of view and from an education point of view. We are very hopeful for the good results in that regard here in this Games. I think there are sports in the Winter Games that could lend themselves maybe to potentially certain doping issues. I think you are all aware that in Torino, we did not have one positive in the Paralympic Winter Games. So I'm looking forward to a clean Games, obviously, there will be the possibility of that which is being dented by the other positive tests. But I'm very hopeful that this Games here will be as clean as possible and hopefully totally clean. You ask me about the sport of powerlifting and if there were several cases of doping here in powerlifting. How would it affect them in future Games? That is something that we have to consider in time. But it's not something that is even in our minds at the moment. Powerlifting is a wonderful Paralympic sport and is something that we shall do everything in our power along with that sport to maintain and develop for the future.

Times

A question for Mr. Wang Wei. Were there protest parks during the Paralympics?

Additional question for Mr. Craven. How will the IPC ensure that the people can protest if they wanted?

Wang Wei

There are protest parks. We opened the three parks as you know. It is not yet closed. Again I want to reiterate the issues of what people have by the rule of law. It's not by protest. In China, we have the culture of consultation that if people apply they will be allowed to protest. Thank you.

Philip Craven

From my point of view, really, we are not in the job of managing protests. I think that we are very hopeful that this Games will past off in a very sporting nature and really I will leave it to BOCOG to manage any situations. But at this stage we don't anticipate it.

AFP

The Games are becoming more and more professional every time. Do you think this is going to be the biggest and best Games ever?

Philip Craven

Well I have someone very close to the Paralympic movement who told me two nights ago that the Games were already the best ever. Then I said how can you say that they have not even started? And I think what he was saying was that really there is something in the air here that this is going to be a tremendous Games. There going to be tremendous sports event and incredible opportunity for paralympians to just show what they can do and how they can perform. They are very much equal to their Olympic peers. I'm not going to tell you if it's going to be the best Games ever before the evening starts. But it will be fantastic. Thank you.

Sun Weide

If there are no more questions, we can conclude this morning press briefings. Thank you for coming. Goodbye.

Philip Craven

Thank you.