Francisco Elizalde, member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordinating Commission for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, voiced his compliment during his short visit to the southern Chinese city.

The Filipino IOC official elaborated that Beijing produced a "very feasible, realistic and acceptable" plan for the Games, adding that their suggestions and budget were practical.

He described the Beijing plan as "a bit conservative" as compared with other candidate cities for the 2008 Games, saying that Beijing did not make any unrealistic commitments to the Games for favor in their bidding campaign.

Beijing's bidding was "impressive, and better-planned than other cities," Elizalde said, regarding the Chinese city's comprehensive supplementary book as "very detailed" with "explosive" information.

In charge of marketing and financial issues in IOC, Elizalde suggested that Beijing try to find local organizations and companies for sponsors of the Games, but should limit their number.

It is important to find out "quality sponsors," he said, referring to "companies that are really helping Beijing run the Games" rather than making publicity to sell their commodities with excessive ads.

"Commercialism should be kept in a low key" to avoid the impression of salesmanship instead of sponsor, he warned.

Citing the situation in Sydney as a lesson, Elizalde also advised that organizers of the Beijing Olympics be careful in pricing the tickets.

He said that the authorities should not care only for the income without thinking of the people's purchasing ability.

IOC Members Lavish Praises on China's National Games Opening Ceremony

Some international sports officials including members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who have ended their visits to southern Chinese city of Guangzhou gave high remarks on Sunday evening's opening ceremony of China's Ninth National Games.

"It is great," claimed Hein Verbruggen, the newly-appointed chairman of IOC's Coordination Commission of the 2008 Games.

The Dutch IOC member predicted that the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games seven years later would only become much better. "Now we know there is one last thing we have to worry about the Olympics," he said before leaving here Monday's morning.

Francisco Elizalde, IOC member of Philippines, did not hesitate to express his appreciation, impressed by the high-tech elements of the ceremony such as the colorful fountain and the way of torch lighting.

"The laser, water, ...very sophisticated," said Elizalde before his departure this morning. "It is wondeful. Guangzhou really served a wonderful opening ceremony."

The games flame was lit by a beam of laser located on the opposite side of the Olympic Stadium, site of the opening ceremony, and the computer-controlled fountains amazingly varied in colors and formations.

Gilbert Feili, IOC sports director, also gave thumbs-up to the opening ceremony, the magnitude and grandiosity of which seemed to have particularly impressed him. "A large number of people, the size ..." he said, predicting the opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympics to be surely "something perfect" although it is still a bit early.

Michael Knight, the former president of the Sydney Olympic Games organizing committee, also rated high scores for the ceremony, saying that it is "modern in some way" and "very traditional" as well.

He said that the IOC members invited here had been "astounded" by the quality of the opening ceremony. "They kept saying to me 'oh, good, yet this is just a national games, imagine what they will do for the Olympics'," he said.

"I have no doubt that the (opening) ceremony in Beijing will be very spectacular but will be also very Chinese," he added.

Members Enjoy China's Martial Arts

Chinese Wushu, or martial arts, impressed members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as "spectacular" and "exciting."

While visiting South China's Guangdong Provincial Sports Institute here Monday, the group of international sports officials, headed by IOC vice president Richard Kevan Gosper, were entertained by a one-hour Wushu performance featuring a dozen national and world Wushu champions.

Gosper said it was the first time he saw real live Chinese Wushu, and described the performance as "spectacular" and "exciting." He and other visiting IOC members are here to attend China's Ninth National Games that opened here Sunday.

Niels Holst-Sorensen, IOC member from Denmark, also saw this type of sports for the first time. He said the performance was very "impressive," but declined to talk about the possibility of Wushu's entry as a competitive event to the Olympic Games in the near future.

"I am not so sure," said Sorensen. But he admitted he was mostly impressed by Wushu's "flexibility" and "body control."

Sorensen, who looks forward to coming to Beijing in 2008, also regarded the opening ceremony of China's National Games Sunday night as "fantastic," saying it "could match any opening ceremony of the Olympics."

(People's Daily November 13, 2001)