Beijing games only need fine tuning

Preparations for the Beijing Olympics this summer are on course and only need fine-tuning, the final International Olympic Committee inspection of the Games concluded today.

The IOC’s co-ordination commission said organisers BOCOG are on the right track for the Olympics, which start in 127 days.

Commission chairman Hein Verbruggen said in a statement: “There is every reason to believe that a gold-medal performance is within their grasp and that the world will marvel at superb Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“The IOC noted an increased level of support from the government authorities for the organising committee, which will undoubtedly help reinforce BOCOG’s excellent work.

“We were satisfied by the assurances we received across a number of areas - media service levels, including internet access, brand protection, environmental contingency plans for improved air quality, and the live broadcast feed.

“BOCOG must now fine-tune its operations over the final four months.”

Apart from the infamous air pollution problem – an area which has seen improvement compared to three years ago – the IOC were also given assurances that foreign news websites would not be blocked to internet users in China in the build-up to and during the Games.

China’s rulers routinely block access to foreign news sites, and have stepped up that practice during the recent protests against their treatment of protesters in Tibet.