Preparatory work for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games entered a
new stage on Friday with the appointment of the first batch of
teams that will run each venue.
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX
Olympiad (BOCOG) announced teams for 13 competition venues.
These include the National Stadium, the fencing hall and
Workers' Stadium, as well as five non-competition venues, including
the Olympic village, Beijing Capital Airport and the main press
centre.
The members of each team include the venue manager and deputy
mangers, who will look after the events, security, the media and
other aspects of the Games.
"Setting up the first group of teams is a milestone," said Liu
Jingmin, BOCOG executive vice-president and vice-mayor of
Beijing.
"The teams will be enlarged as the Olympic Games comes
nearer."
According to Liu, before the Games, the teams will be in charge
of making plans and collocating necessary materials for the
competition.
During the Games, they will take charge of overall operations
within each venue.
It is estimated that more than 90 percent of problems will be
solved by the teams.
Another important part of the Games' operation, the recruitment
of volunteers, will start on August 28, according to BOCOG on
Friday.
According to officials, the online application system and
toll-free hotline will be up and running when the recruitment
begins.
Students in colleges and universities in Beijing can apply at
recruitment centres set up on campus, while ordinary Beijing
residents can apply through the online application system or by
mail.
BOCOG will also entrust certain other institutions to deal with
personal applications.
Applicants in other provinces, municipalities and autonomous
regions across China can apply to the institutions designated by
the local committees of the Communist Youth League of China.
People from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and foreigners who live
or work in Beijing, can also apply.
People who live or work outside Beijing can apply through the
BOCOG online application system, which is being run in line with
international practices and Olympic rules.
The recruitment for volunteers from other provinces, autonomous
regions and municipalities will start in December.
It is estimated that around 70,000 and 30,000 volunteers will be
needed for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games respectively.
(China Daily August 19, 2006)