Third IOC & BOCOG press conference

Date/Time: 11:15 a.m., Monday, August 11

Venue: Main Press Conference (MPC)

Sun Weide

Good morning everyone. Welcome to BOCOG/IOC joint press briefing. This morning, Wang Wei is not available. So I will be giving the press conference from our side. I would like to begin an update on Games operation. On August 10, there were a total of 22 competition events on 22 venues, 14 gold medals were awarded. Some of the competition including tennis, archery, rowing were postponed due to weather conditions. Otherwise, the competitions and operations will run smoothly. As for the postponement, the competition schedule readjusting committee decided the following: Rowing has been postponed up to the beginning of the schedule of August 11, the order of events have also been adjusted. Tennis, some of the competition events originally scheduled for August 10 including 11 events for the morning session have yet to finish. These 11 events together with other 26 events scheduled for the afternoon schedule have been rescheduled to today. It will be held in between the pre-arranged competition events of August 11. As for archery, some events were delayed but concluded later in the day.

I would also like to give you an update for today. The third day of the Olympic Games will see 20 competition events staged in 18 competition venues. The athlete will compete for 13 gold medals.

Finally, the weather forecast for today. Rain is forecast for Beijing and the co-host cities. We will continue to monitor the weather conditions and adjust accordingly. As for the air quality, yesterday the air quality was good and great too. Today the forecast is that the air quality could be better. That is my brief opening remarks. I would hand it now to Ms. Davies.

Giselle Davies

Good morning everyone, so there was the morning coordination commission today between the IOC and BOCOG. In the early days of the Games, this is done on a daily basis but the IOC overall appraisal is such that we feel that things are going smoothly and slightly then we will start doing the meetings every other day rather than everyday from here on.

President Rogge slept last night at the Olympic Village. As you know, he is an Olympian, having competed in three Olympics in sailing. He really enjoys very much staying with the athletes. He takes every opportunity to do so whenever his schedule allows. He also is very keen to ensure to see all the sports during his stay here in Beijing, if time allowing. Today, he would be attending handball and hockey and enjoying Belgium vs Spain later on today. He also hopes to tour the IBC, and frankly that is happening as we speak. I think he is happy to look around the broadcasting operations next-door. That is the update from today from our side. Happy to take any questions. Thank you.

Sun Weide

Now the floor is open for questions. Before raising your questions, could you please stand up? As you may aware of this press conference is live broadcasted by BOB, so I would appreciate if you could stand up before you asked questions.

AFP

I've got a question about protest. This morning, AFP reporting close to Tian'anmen Square. There is a Chinese man there holding a flag three times for protesting in the allowed zones and he has been refused three times. Can you tell me how many applications have been received, how many approved. And what is the procedure? Thank you.

Sun Weide

First of all, regarding demonstrations, processions and assembling in this country, we have Chinese law on demonstration, processions and assembling and we have very detailed procedures to do that and of course we hope that the law was respected by all the people regarding the details about the case that you mentioned. I am afraid I have to refer you to the police department of Beijing. I don't have the details. It is not within the responsibility of BOCOG. You have to talk to the police department. But as I said, we have the procedures. If you want to demonstrate, you have to submit the application five days beforehand.

Beijing Youth Daily

I am from the Beijing Youth Daily. I would like to know the weather today. Is it going to cause any further delays?

Sun Weide

As far as I know, according to the weather report, it is probably going to rain today. From the day before, it has been raining. We started the contingency plan to arrange the sports event for yesterday. And we already announced the changes of all the sport events schedule through broadcasting to the spectators so that they can get the information in a timely fashion.

Reuters

A question for Giselle Davies. Do you have the updated worldwide figures of the viewership of the Opening Ceremony? Thanks.

Giselle Davies

Thanks. No, we don't have them yet. We are waiting for them but didn't get it in time for this morning. But we hope to get them fingers crossed to have them tomorrow morning. As soon as we have them, we will make sure to bring them to this briefing.

Sydney Morning Herald

This question is for both of you. Yesterday, at the press conference, the American told at the volleyball center, the issue of the gentleman who was attacked the other day was raised. The notebook of the journalists from China who were attending this conference was confiscated. I am wondering given the pledges of press freedom, is there one rule for western journalists and one rule for Chinese journalists?

Sun Weide

First of all, I have to say that I am not clear about the situation you raised. But as for Chinese journalists, they very much enjoy the rights to cover the Games. Their rights are protected by the Chinese constitution. I don't know the details about the specifics you mentioned.

Giselle Davies

Thank you. I haven't heard of the information at all. This is the first time that has been raised. I am very happy to get the facts and come back to you.

South China Morning Post

There was a news report yesterday in the Beijing News, just detailing how the amazing firework display on the Opening Ceremony was also aided by the computer simulation. Can you tell us a little bit more about that? And would you be able to share that technology?

Sun Weide

As for the technology of the fire works, I think everyone agrees that they are very splendid and very spectacular performance on the part of the team for the fireworks. I don't have the figure at the moment of the cost. But I can tell you that frugality is one of the principles of the organizers, Of the Olympic Games. So the budget for the Opening Ceremony and also for the Closing Ceremony is very much under control.

Giselle Davies

Just for Peter on the transfer of technology, I can't speak for the organizers. But there will be a meeting that take place in London later in October or November. I don't have the date of the top of my head. There is a full chart of the process. The Opening Ceremony was spectacular and I am sure that London, BOCOG and LOCOG will work together to share lessons learned.

German reporter

Yesterday there were a lot of empty seats at the competitions of the venues. Even the official tickets are completely sold out. What is the explanation on that? And follow up on that, is it true that BOCOG will get volunteers and school kids to seat to get a better TV pictures?

Sun Weide

I think there are some misunderstandings on this issue. For example, talking about the beach volleyball, yesterday, the competition began at 9 o'clock, but the spectators' tickets were valid for the whole morning. So some of them watched the competitions later in the morning, at maybe ten or eleven o'clock because the venues were not full at 9:00 a.m but I believe at 11 a.m., the venue will be packed with spectators.

Giselle Davies

I can just maybe add on that point. Maybe we've seen in earlier games that the venues aren't filled the capacity. Also, we can be mindful of the fact that the organizers haven't had a lot of luck yesterday with the weather. As we get to further rounds and things improve in that perspective. We are encouraged that we will see fuller stadiums.

AP

Giselle, can you give us more details on the Iranian Athletes who pulled out at this moment against Israeli. What sanctions maybe, more details you have and what problems you think maybe yesterday?

Giselle Davies

Sure, thanks for prompting that. We went to have a look at this. The athletes withdraw because of the sickness. He confirmed this in writing to the swimming federation. We also spoke to the NOC. And they have underlined to us that all athletes competing here in the right spirit against athletes of any nationalities. And we take both the athletes and the NOC had their words on this.

Beijing Radio

I am from Beijing Radio. Because of the rain yesterday, certain events were stopped or delayed. What about returning the tickets? What about the spectators come back to see the postponed or delayed tickets. What are they going to do about tickets?

Sun Weide

I think we have been trying out best to inform the media, the radios to let them know the changes, the adjustment in the competition schedule. If the spectators feel inconvenient to watch the games because of the rescheduling, of course they can ask for refund of the tickets. Thank you.

Press Association

Can I ask what the arrangements are regarding public access to the Olympic Green? Do you have to have the ticket to access the Olympic Green, if that is the case, what is the decision for doing that?

Sun Weide

I think we plan to invite more spectators and audiences to the Olympic Green, as the competition goes on, we are going to have more and more cultural activities inside the Olympic Green.