"But the teams haven't (pull out). There will be 10,500 athletes, and the big majority of the athletes have been training for the games for four years and they want to come to the games."

His remarks were echoed by another IOC member, Alex Gilady, who is also here for a three-day meeting between the IOC's coordination commission and Beijing Olympics organizers.

"I have only heard non-governmental organizations (talking about boycotts). Also, many of them support the games," said Gilady.

Gilady, a former journalist and TV sports commentator, stressed that the athletes are the only victims of boycotts of the Olympic Games.

"We have to remember why we are organizing the games. We cannot punish the athletes of the world and we will not stand for any boycott... and there will be no boycott," he said.

The Israeli also suggested that the media should not make a fuss about some athletes' decisions of withdrawing from the Olympic Games.

"It's not obligatory to attend the Olympic Games for the athletes, or for the spectators, or for the broadcasters," he said.

"You are doing it if you want to. If you don't want, you don't come. Very simple."

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2008)