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Gilbert Felli (R front), International
Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic Games executive director, gestures while
inspecting the Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Qinhuangdao,
north China's Hebei Province, July 30, 2008. Felli on Wednesday gave an
overall inspection to the Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium, the
venue of the football events of the Beijing Olympics. (Xinhua/Yang
Shiyao) Photo
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BEIJING, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The International
Olympic Committee is pleased with how the Beijing Olympics proceeded since it
started last Friday with a spectacular opening ceremony, an IOC official said
here on Wednesday.
"We don't have any issues so far and we are very
happy with that," IOC's Olympic Games executive director Gilbert Felli told a
press conference.
Felli praised the local organizers for the smooth
operation of a "fantastic" opening ceremony which involved more than 15,000
performers and was watched by an estimated four billion people around the globe.
"Now we have been very pleased with the outcome of
it," he said.
The 10,000-plus athletes are also very "happy" with
most aspects of the Games ranging from accommodation to transport and venues,
said Felli.
"The athletes are what we care. I can say they are
very happy," he said.
"The IOC President (Jacques Rogge) said he took his
breakfast at the Olympic Village this morning in a corner so that he is not to
be disturbed by too many people.
"But he said so many athletes realized he was there
and came to him and said 'President, thank you. I have never seen a condition
for us like this.'"
Felli, who has overseen Beijing's preparatory work
since it was awarded the Games in 2001 as a member of the IOC's coordination
commission, also paid tribute to the volunteers.
"All the volunteers are dedicated to do things,"
Felli said. "Sometimes we got difficulty in understanding between the volunteers
and the people, but we have to say that they are doing a fantastic job."
A total of 100,000 volunteers have been recruited to
work for the Beijing Olympics and Paralymics.
The IOC had announced earlier this week that the
daily meeting with BOCOG would be held every other day because the Games are
running well.