OLYMPICS /
News
Former IOC chief Samaranch lauds Beijing Olympics
Xinhua
Updated: 2008-08-02 18:38
BEIJING - Former International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Samaranch on Saturday said Beijing would stage a marvelous Olympics.
Speaking at a sports meeting of the China-Spain Forum, Samaranch reviewed his three-decade friendship with China. "I spent a long time understanding the Chinese people and helped open the Olympic door for China."
Samaranch cited some milestones in China's Olympic journey, including the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where China grabbed its first Olympic gold medal and 2001 Moscow meeting when China won the bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympics.
"Over the past seven years, China has made great efforts to honor its commitment and showcased its capability to the world," he said.
Samaranch, who served as IOC chief for more than 20 years, said planning and staging an Olympics had never been an easy task. "Every Olympics had been confronted with various difficulties.
"As Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee has demonstrated great wisdom, I am convinced that it will remove all the obstacles and stage an amazing Olympics," he said.
Samaranch said he had never seen a city build so many facilities for an Olympics and was satisfied with Beijing's environment.
The 88-year-old Spaniard is expected to stay in the Chinese capital until the end of the Games.
