As rio heats up, beijing prepares to cool down

Observational visits

As China's summer Olympians prepare for their Rio 2016 campaign, about 80 members of the Beijing 2022 organizing committee are also packing for trips to the Games. The visits, which are part of the IOC's knowledge-transfer Observer Program, will allow the committee members valuable insights into the operation of a major sporting event.

Assisted by the IOC, the 80 employees will travel to Rio in three batches, taking turns to attend more than 120 activities, including site visits, briefings and roundtable symposiums on subjects ranging from venue operation to transportation support and sustainability.

Yan Cheng, director of the organizing committee's human resources department, said the trips will provide experience of the scope, scale and complexity of running an Olympic Games.

"The knowledge and expertise of previous host cities and the firsthand experience gained during the trips will allow us to develop plans that are not just based on our own contexts, but also on standard international practice and the lessons the IOC has learned from past Games," he said.

Since the Beijing 2022 organizing committee, chaired by Beijing Party chief Guo Jinlong, was established in December, more than 170 of its executives and employees have been hired to work in nine departments and two operations centers in Zhangjiakou and Yanqing.

The committee plans to expand its current structure to 28 departments before the Games begin, and is hiring foreign and domestic experts, training local staff, recruiting volunteers and signing contracts to build a highly qualified operational team, said Yan.

In addition, a new structure that soars over the north end of the Olympic Park has been named the Beijing Olympic Tower. It has been endorsed by the IOC, which also authorized the city to place the five-ring Olympic symbol on top of the tower to symbolize its commitment to promoting the movement's spirit.

Speaking in June, at the inauguration ceremony for the Beijing Olympic Tower, IOC President Thomas Bach said Beijing is capable of successfully hosting the Winter Olympics.

"Learning from history, I am sure that in 2022 our Chinese friends will even be able to exceed the high benchmark they set in 2008. In terms of sustainability, legacy and feasibility, the organization committee is laying the foundations for the success of the 2022 Winter Olympics," he said.

Contact the writer at sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn