Training stressed in preparation for Beijing Olympics

84th meeting of BOCOG Executive Board

Liu Qi chairs the meeting.

(BEIJING, June 28) -- The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) will enhance training in preparation for the next Summer Olympics.

This is a major issue discussed at the 84th meeting of BOCOG Executive Board on Thursday.

Taking stock of the achievements in the training work, the board found that BOCOG's management system and working framework for the task have been established; the goal and implementation method for the training of the key groups of people have been identified; infrastructure and grassroots work have been strengthened and progress has been made in the exchange of experience. However, all these areas should be improved and perfected this year.

The board called for the enhancement of training for the key personnel such as BOCOG staff, volunteers and sport technology officers. Such people can be assigned to new posts only after they have passed examination. The training quality should be increased so that the trainees can provide high-level services. Meanwhile Olympic education should be promoted to spread Olympic knowledge among the 400 million young people in China.

The meeting debriefed a report on the torch relay for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. The board noted that the relay should be guided by the concept to build a harmonious society and the outlook of scientific development and should meet the goal of making the Paralympics as splendid as the Olympics, and holding a torch relay with unique characteristics to leave a landmark cultural legacy for the Paralympics.

The board said the torch relay is an important method to spread the Paralympic spirit and publicize the Beijing Paralympics, as well as a major way for mass participation in the Paralympics. The theme of the relay will be "Transcendence, Equality and Integration," and its slogan will be "Light the Passion Share the Dream." The relay will last for 10 days from August 28 to September 6.

The meeting was chaired by BOCOG President Liu Qi, who is also member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and secretary of Beijing Municipal CPC Committee.

Also present at the meeting was Chen Zhili, State Councilor and BOCOG First Vice-President.