Kevan Gosper, Vice-Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the Beijing Olympics, has claimed that Beijing is prepared to stop private cars and trucks from driving and to shut down industry, if that's what is needed to cut pollution during the 2008 Beijing Games.
The joys of a one party state!
When pressed in the interview, on political issues such as Falun Gong, he adopted the ostrich position of head in the sand. As noted the Olympics is about money, not sport.
To read the interview visit ABC.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
A Waste of Time and Money
It seems, not surprisingly, that the 2012 London Olympics will be a waste of time and money. That at least is the opinion of Brigid Simmonds, chairman of the Central Council for Physical Recreation.
She was giving evidence yesterday to the Olympics hearing held by Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sports.
Quote:
"It will be a long sunrise and a very short sunset."
She said that the Olympics do not automatically produce a "trickle down" effect:
"There is no evidence that [previous] Olympic Games have increased long-term participation in sport."
Adding that unless urgent action was taken to tackle the question of legacy, it would not happen after 2012.
Simmonds noted that Sport England would be funding the aquatics centre and the velodrome (cost £340M). However, the cost of these projects would mean that other sports would lose two years of lottery funding; Sport England was not being given extra resources.
One MP said:
"This is very depressing."
The Olympic Lottery Distributor had raised issues during the hearing. It said that due to organisational problems, it may have to delay making payments to the Olympic authorities.
David Higgins, chief executive of he Olympic Development Authority, told MPs it had been agreed that the Olympic stadium would have temporary seating for 80,000 spectators, which would fall to 25,000 in legacy mode for athletics.
Higgins was repeatedly pressed on the question of rising construction costs, currently budgeted at £2.375BN.
Higgins, in response, chose to speak instead about the cost of regeneration:
"We could do a very superficial regeneration but it is not a responsible thing to do."
In other words he didn't answer the question, he knows full well that the costs will rise.
She was giving evidence yesterday to the Olympics hearing held by Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sports.
Quote:
"It will be a long sunrise and a very short sunset."
She said that the Olympics do not automatically produce a "trickle down" effect:
"There is no evidence that [previous] Olympic Games have increased long-term participation in sport."
Adding that unless urgent action was taken to tackle the question of legacy, it would not happen after 2012.
Simmonds noted that Sport England would be funding the aquatics centre and the velodrome (cost £340M). However, the cost of these projects would mean that other sports would lose two years of lottery funding; Sport England was not being given extra resources.
One MP said:
"This is very depressing."
The Olympic Lottery Distributor had raised issues during the hearing. It said that due to organisational problems, it may have to delay making payments to the Olympic authorities.
David Higgins, chief executive of he Olympic Development Authority, told MPs it had been agreed that the Olympic stadium would have temporary seating for 80,000 spectators, which would fall to 25,000 in legacy mode for athletics.
Higgins was repeatedly pressed on the question of rising construction costs, currently budgeted at £2.375BN.
Higgins, in response, chose to speak instead about the cost of regeneration:
"We could do a very superficial regeneration but it is not a responsible thing to do."
In other words he didn't answer the question, he knows full well that the costs will rise.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Beijing Works on Olympics Air Quality
The Chinese authorities are setting up special working groups in Beijing, and four surrounding regions, to ensure good air quality during the 2008 Olympics.
The groups will be set up in Beijing, Shanxi, Tianjin, Hebei and Inner Mongolia.
Zhang Lijun, deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, said that they would look for new ways to deal with air pollution so as to ensure good air quality during the 2008 Olympics.
it is hoped that research, currently being conducted, will result in new measures to ensure good air quality during the games.
Pei Chenghu, deputy director of Beijing Environmental Protection Administration, said that pollution in Beijing is a problem for the region, and improving air quality must involve the entire region.
Local statistics show that by the end of August, Beijing had 166 'blue sky' days, 72 days short of its target for the year.
The groups will be set up in Beijing, Shanxi, Tianjin, Hebei and Inner Mongolia.
Zhang Lijun, deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, said that they would look for new ways to deal with air pollution so as to ensure good air quality during the 2008 Olympics.
it is hoped that research, currently being conducted, will result in new measures to ensure good air quality during the games.
Pei Chenghu, deputy director of Beijing Environmental Protection Administration, said that pollution in Beijing is a problem for the region, and improving air quality must involve the entire region.
Local statistics show that by the end of August, Beijing had 166 'blue sky' days, 72 days short of its target for the year.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Education, Not Money, At The Heart of The Olympics
It seems that my sometimes cynical remarks about money being the driving force of the Olympics are wrong, that is at least the belief of Jacques Rogge president of the International Olympics Committee (IOC).
Rogge, who was opening the World Forum on Sport Education and Culture in Beijing, said that education remained at the heart of the Olympic movement with millions of Chinese youngsters now being introduced to its values.
Rogge noted that the IOC had a duty to educate the world's youth on matters such as doping and even some not directly related to sport, such as HIV prevention.
Quote:
"The goal of the Olympic movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced in the spirit of Olympism.
I am particularly pleased that this effort is being continued right now in China and that millions of young Chinese ...are being introduced to the strength and power of the Olympic values such as friendship, excellence and respect."
Liu Qi, head of the Beijing Organising Committee (BOCOG), said that the exposure of China to the rest of the world in 2008 would be an education in itself.
Quote:
"Through the staging of the Olympic Games, we are willing to further reinforce the exchange with international friends and accelerate the development of China and Beijing to leave a precious legacy to China and world sports."
Rogge went on to warn about the dangers of drugs:
"Scientists and doctors who contribute to unethical behavior through the misuse of drugs must be stigmatised.
That can be considered another form of education.
In conjunction with BOCOG, the IOC intend to make the Beijing Olympics a festival of harmony and peace, education and culture and above all of sporting perfection."
We shall see.
Rogge, who was opening the World Forum on Sport Education and Culture in Beijing, said that education remained at the heart of the Olympic movement with millions of Chinese youngsters now being introduced to its values.
Rogge noted that the IOC had a duty to educate the world's youth on matters such as doping and even some not directly related to sport, such as HIV prevention.
Quote:
"The goal of the Olympic movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced in the spirit of Olympism.
I am particularly pleased that this effort is being continued right now in China and that millions of young Chinese ...are being introduced to the strength and power of the Olympic values such as friendship, excellence and respect."
Liu Qi, head of the Beijing Organising Committee (BOCOG), said that the exposure of China to the rest of the world in 2008 would be an education in itself.
Quote:
"Through the staging of the Olympic Games, we are willing to further reinforce the exchange with international friends and accelerate the development of China and Beijing to leave a precious legacy to China and world sports."
Rogge went on to warn about the dangers of drugs:
"Scientists and doctors who contribute to unethical behavior through the misuse of drugs must be stigmatised.
That can be considered another form of education.
In conjunction with BOCOG, the IOC intend to make the Beijing Olympics a festival of harmony and peace, education and culture and above all of sporting perfection."
We shall see.
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