Les MacDonald, president of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) and ITU secretary general Mark Sisson said they believe Beijing is qualified to host the 2008 Olympics. The two made the announcement at a news conference in with the Beijing Olympic Games Bid Committee.

MacDonald attended the news conference after visiting the telecom center in Beijing. He said that he was much impressed by the high-tech facilities in the telecom center, where he spoke to three Chinese children through video telephone calls. He said that he was very pleased when one of the Chinese girls called him grandfather.

Beijing's Olympic organizing committee was equally pleased to hear that MacDonald would not be critical of the country's traffic problems. It is a big concern of every big city.

What he concerns most is that the triathlon athletes will have access to streets free of traffic in the 2008 Olympic Games. Macdonald said that he has talked about the problem with the director of Beijing Municipal Administrative Bureau for Public Security and Transportation. The official assured him that there would be no problem in this respect.

Macdonald visited Beijing 10 years ago. He said Beijing has undergone surprising changes in the past decade. He said if he closed his eyes for a while, then opens them h said he feels like he is in Paris, Vancouver or Lose Angles.

ITU Secretary General Mark Sisson added, that the modern architecture makes the city look very modern. He said China has become an increasingly more important place in the world. He also said that as an Olympic host city, the city must be able to take a leading role in bringing people together.

China has the capacity to do that. MacDonald reaffirmed this by saying that he is confident that Beijing will successfully hold a triathlon event during the 2008 Olympic Games. He said BOBICO officials have promised to adhere to all the requirements he has made in a timely manner.

(Beijing-2008 11/17/2000)