Vancouver 2010 progress report delivered in Beijing to the 120th Session of the International Olympic Committee

Aug 5, 2008

VANOC recognizes Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee’s preparation for remarkable Games

Beijing, China – With only two days remaining before the Opening Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), congratulated the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG) and the people of China on their outstanding preparations and warm welcome as they host the world’s greatest summer sport athletes. Furlong made the comments at the beginning of his update on the state of preparations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, to the 120th Session of the International Olympic Committee.

“The team in Beijing, the IOC and the people of China have done a world-class job preparing for the 2008 Olympic Games,” said Furlong. “With only a few days to go until the Opening Ceremony, the sense of excitement and anticipation is everywhere. It is with great admiration for our colleagues at BOCOG that we are here to learn and observe from their experiences. We share an understanding of how tremendously complex it is to host the Games, and we are excited to witness what promises to be 17 days of incredibly memorable sport competition and cultural celebration.”

Furlong last reported to the full IOC Session in Guatemala City, Guatemala in July 2007. In today’s update to IOC members on the state of preparations for the 2010 Winter Games over the past year, Furlong highlighted that:

• All competition venues are complete and open, with the exceptions of the speed skating and curling venues, which will be completed this fall. Sport Events to test the venues will commence in October. 
• Non-competition venues and key infrastructure, such as the Main Media Centre, the two Olympic Villages and training venues, are all on track. Non-Olympic infrastructure that will play a key role in the Games transportation system, including the Canada Line from the airport to Vancouver and Richmond, and improvements to the Sea to Sky Highway, are also showing excellent progress. 
• The anti-doping laboratory will be located at the Richmond Oval (home to long track speed skating) where Montreal’s Institut de la recherche scientifique (INRS) will operate a state-of-the-art testing program. 
• Participation of all Canadian provinces and territories in the 2010 Winter Games is progressing well, and all are engaged. 
• Volunteer recruitment is in full progress. Over 43,718 applications have been received and screening interviews have already started. VANOC’s growing workforce is expected to reach 1,000 by the end of 2008. 
• VANOC continues to integrate sustainability throughout all of its functions and will make further announcements this fall on its carbon management program. 
• Sponsorship targets for 2007 have been exceeded and partnerships continue to strengthen. 
• The sport schedule has been confirmed, with ticket sales to begin on October 3, 2008. 
• Mascots Miga, Quatchi and Sumi were launched in November 2007 and are being very well-received. 
• The Olympic Torch Relay route will be announced by the end of 2008, with details on the torch design and uniforms to be released in early 2009. 
• Plans for both the 2009 Cultural Olympiad and the Opening Ceremonies are in full development.

VANOC’s full progress report is available at www.vancouver2010.com.

VANOC will present its next update to the IOC’s October 2009 session, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

ContactVANOC Communications
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