OLYMPIC GAMES/Beijing 2008:Preparations for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 have stepped up a gear in the Chinese capital. Sports venues are now clearly recognisable on the massive building sites, seven million tickets have gone on sale and there are new rules to ensure none of the city's 70,000 taxis will be smelly for the games.
Dermot Henihan, chef de mission of the Irish Olympic team for Beijing, recently led a delegation of sport managers to see how the preparations were shaping up regarding Ireland's participation in the games, which run from August 8th-24th, 2008.
"The whole thing is in a very clean, healthy state at the moment," Henihan said. "I've seen the stadium, and the Water Cube aquatic centre, grow, and when the world sees them they're going to be shocked and awed, it will be seen as one of the wonders of the world."
The Olympic stadium, which will seat 100,000 people for the games and cost €370 million, is an impressive site, while the nearby Water Cube, where the swimming competition will be held, is also nearly finished.
The Irish delegation included boxing manager Jim Walsh; swimming manager Keith Bewley; fencing manager Nuala McGarrity; deputy chef de mission, Tom Rafter, and Stephen Martin, chief executive of the Olympic Council of Ireland.
The delegation visited the site of the Olympic Village, which will pre-open on July 20th and open officially on July 27th.
"We anticipate that all those qualified will be in the Olympic village at 8pm on the eighth day of the eighth month 2008," he said.
The Irish group had "substantial" meetings with the Beijing organising committee, Bocog.
"To date we're ahead of the posse and we intend to stay ahead. We are fully up to date on all requirements," he said.
Previous inspection visits had examined areas such as medical facilities and venues for athletics, canoeing, cycling, rowing, sailing and shooting. There are two more trips planned to Beijing, which also examine the equestrian facilities, in November and February.
The delegation met students from Donggaodi school, which is being twinned with Scoil Mhuire in Howth. Donggaodi students will attend the opening ceremony and cheer on the Irish team at the games.
Chief International Olympic Committee (IOC) inspector Hein Verbruggen was also in Beijing this week for an inspection visit, and while he has complimentary of the work already done, he said the city still had much work to do if it is to put on a "high-level" Olympics next year.
The Dutchman said the IOC would work increasingly closely with Bocog to produce an event that would "leave a strong impression on Olympic history".
Bocog chief Liu Qi said his main priorities were venue construction, traffic, the environment and pollution, the torch relay, opening and closing ceremonies, ticketing, test events, foreign media services, mass participation and Olympic education.
Demand for tickets has been high after residents of China were able to reserve them online in a lottery system since Sunday.
And the government has introduced rules which mean taxi drivers will have to give up spitting, smoking, weird hairstyles and dangly earrings.
Any cabbies with smelly taxis will be suspended to undergo "rectification and reform" guidance.
