The preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games football tournament covers the following: Management Structure, Co-host Cities, Transportation, Stadiums, Training fields, Accommodation, Training, Test Events, Draw, Accreditation, and various other issues.

Management Structure

The management structure for football tournaments has 3 levels, with the top level being the BOCOG.

The BOCOG Football Command Group follows second. In this group, the members consist of the directors of departments of the BOCOG. The director is Mr. Yang Shuan, Executive Vice President of BOCOG; the deputy director is Mr. Zhang Jilong, Director of Sports Department and CM for football tournaments.

The third and final level is the BOCOG Football Event Working Team with 7 divisions: administration, competition technical operation, media operation, technology, venue operation, game services, construction & environment. Each one of the 7 divisions has one Coordinator. Also, this group has a liaison staff from the department of Finance, Human Resource, Logistics, Culture, Media, Accreditation, Marketing, Volunteer, Medical Services, Protocol, Security, Transportation and Broadcasting, etc.

Each venue city has its own local organizing committee. The BOCOG Football Event Working Team will give these LOCs direct support.

Co-host Cities

As we all know, the 2008 Olympic Games football tournaments will be staged in five cities: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao.

Regarding transportation among the five venues, each organizer will supply flights, trains and buses. Flight services will be provided between Shanghai and other cities. This would be the same case from Shenyang to Beijing and Tianjin. Trains and buses will be provided between Beijing, Tianjin and Qinhuangdao; similarly between Shenyang and Qinhuangdao.

Transportation

Inner-city transportation service will be provided for all teams and the FIFA Delegation.

A bus, car, escort car and/or a luggage van will be arranged for each team.

To date, FIFA has booked 17 cars and a van in our rate-card service.

Stadiums

Six competition stadiums will be provided for the 2008 Olympic football tournaments and 5 contingency stadiums in 5 cities will be provided in order to avoid any unexpected incident. Construction and renovation of most stadiums began in 2002, with 4 stadiums now completed.

Two competition stadiums will be used in Beijing: the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, and the Workers' Stadium. Other cities have various venues: Tianjin Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Shanghai Stadium, Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium, and Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

Beijing's contingency stadium will be Fengtai Stadium. Other cities will use Tianjin TEDA Football Stadium, Shanghai Hongkou Football Stadium, Shenyang Tiexi Sports Center Stadium and Qinhuangdao Yanshan University Stadium as contingencies.

The National Stadium, the main Olympic Stadium for athletics and the men's football final, as well as for the opening and closing ceremonies, is now under construction. When completed, there will be 91,000 spectator seats. It is 25km away from Beijing Capital international airport, 1.5 km to the Olympic Village and 15km to the FIFA Hotel.

The Beijing Workers' Stadium's seating capacity is approximately 60,000. The distance to Beijing Capital international airport is 20km, 15km to the Olympic Village and 5km to the FIFA Hotel.

The Tianjin Olympic Sports Center Stadium is a new stadium ready for the games. With construction completed, this stadium has already staged the FIFA Women's World Cup in September of last year. The stadium has 60,000 seats. The distance to the Tianjin International Airport is 20km and only 3km to the Team Hotel.

The renovation of the Shanghai Stadium has been completed. In October 2007, the Special Olympics World Summer Games were staged there successfully. Its seating capacity is 56,000. The distance to Shanghai Pudong International Airport is 50km and 20km to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, with the Team Hotel only 1km away from the stadium.

The Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium is another new stadium completed early in 2007. The BOCOG staged a test event at this stadium in July. It has 60,000 seats and is 20km away from the airport, while only 3km from the Team Hotel.

The Qinhuangdao Stadium was built in 2004 with a capacity of 32,000 seats. The distance to the Team Hotel is 13km. This stadium was also used for a BOCOG test event this July.

Training fields

Having two teams use one training field is a principle for the 2008 Olympic Football Tournaments. According to FIFA comments as well as the competition schedule for the Olympic Games, we have prepared 26 training fields, 5 training fields in each city, including 4 training fields and 1 standby. Beijing has an extra training field for referees.

Accommodation

In Beijing, teams will stay in the Olympic Village. Additionally, we will provide the Regent Hotel, a newly 5-starred hotel, as the FIFA Hotel. In Tianjin, the Sheraton Hotel will be provided for the teams and FIFA officials. Also, we will have the Huating Hotel and the Tower in Shanghai, the Marvelot Hotel in Shenyang, and the Holiday Inn Sea View in Qinhuangdao. Please note that the hotels in Shanghai and Tianjin were also official hotels during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2007.

Training

The BOCOG pays much attention to staff trainings. In December 2006, we were very pleased to invite Mr. Walter Sieber (FIFA expert) to join our NTO training in Beijing. In May 2007, we arranged two training programs for Venue Management Teams and TLOs.

Test Event

The BOCOG test event was staged in Shenyang and Qinhuangdao from July 1 to 10, 2007. Four teams were invited to play 8 matches for the "Good Luck Beijing" International Women's Football Tournament. The final was staged in Shenyang.

On April 19, 2008, the Woman's OFT Qualification Play-off Match between CAF & CONMEBOL will be staged in Beijing Workers' Stadium.

Draw

The official draw for the Olympic Football Tournaments will be held at Beijing Regent Hotel on April 20, 2008. The Team Workshop will be staged on April 21, 2008.

Accreditation

The Accreditation procedure has 4 stages. 1) Application forms were sent to FIFA in Jan 2008. 2) FIFA submitted the completed application forms by April 15, 2008. 3) After the information is confirmed, the BOCOG will issue Pre-Valid Accreditation Cards from May 30, 2008. 4) From July 8, 2008, FIFA officials may visit Beijing with their Pre-Valid Accreditation Cards and deliver these cards to the BOCOG Accreditation Center to get Validated Accreditation Cards.

Ticketing

Regarding the tickets pre-selling percentage for each stadium, 70% of tickets have been sold in the National stadium for the final match. In Beijing, tickets pre-selling percentage of workers' stadium is 30% to 80% - depending upon different matches. There is 20% to 45% tickets pre-selling percentage for Tianjin and 30% to 66% for Shanghai. The tickets pre-selling percentage for Shenyang is 20% to 60% and 30% to 60% for Qinhuangdao.

Technology

The Homolagation Test was staged successfully between January 14th and 17th, 2008.

Media

The BOCOG makes great efforts regarding Media operations for the Olympics. The Venue Media Center for co-host cities has been confirmed. There are 140 tables and 110 non-tables on the tribunes and 120 workstations in the press workroom. In Beijing, the Workers' Stadium has 220 tables and 220 non-tables on the tribunes and 200 workstations in the press workroom for the Women's Final. There are 1000 tables and 900 non-tables on the tribunes and 500 workstations in the press workroom in National Stadium for Men's Final.

Venue Media Center team staff has been positioned. The Press manager and Photo Manager will be positioned after training in media operations knowledge. Volunteers were recruited and tested during test events in Qinhuangdao and Shenyang, and the Women's World Cup in Tianjin and Shanghai.

The Mixed Zone operation will follow past Olympic Games practice and FIFA's World Cup events. BOB has especially arranged a zone for flash interviews within FOP. The press will have mixed zone interviews along the player's exit path depending on the venue situation.

In addition, photo positions for football cities have been confirmed. The Venue Media Center Training has been planed for football venues.

(China.org.cn April 16, 2008)