In a move to examine preparations for the next year's Olympic Games, Beijing is gearing up for the 26 "Good Luck Beijing" sports events scheduled for 2007.

 

All-round preparations have been unfolding and the working schemes have been established, including the organizing committees of the sports events and the specific venue teams, said Liu Jingmin, Beijing vice-mayor and executive vice-president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

 

Intensive competitions have been arranged for August and September as the weather and environment conditions are similar to that of next summers' Olympics, he told the local press.

 

Aiming at rehearsing what the Olympics will need, the organizing committee has elaborated general management policies covering as many as 35 areas, set forth the working standards and procedures in such fields as reception, services and etiquette, and pinpointed assessment items, Liu said.

 

The competition venues will be delivered for use one to three months in advance and the training venues, hotels, hospitals, logistics centers and arrival-departure facilities have been settled down. Marketing of the sports equipment has been completed and supply is underway. In addition, 11 of Beijing's districts and counties related to the events have made their logistics ready.

 

As far as the ticketing is concerned, the websites and hot lines for the specific events will be launched two weeks in advance and ticket sales will be conducted three days ahead of the competitions.

 

(BOCOG July 17, 2007)