During its final meeting of 2008, the IOC Executive Board (EB) heard updates on the progress of the Games projects from the CEOs of the Organising Committees (OCOGs) of Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. These reports supplemented the briefings given to the EB by the Coordination Commission Chairmen of the Beijing, Vancouver, London and Sochi Games.   Approval The OCOG reports covered a wide range of topics related to the Games, including venue construction and project management updates. The Vancouver report, made by John Furlong, also saw VANOC ask and receive approval for, among other items, its Cultural Olympiad programme in 2010. Sochi 2014 President Dmitry Chernychenko was joined by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak as they underlined the development of the Sochi Games over the past few months and the strong support that the Games have within Russia.

  Good progress across the board The reports from the Coordination Commission Chairmen also pointed out the good progress that is being made across the board in all of the different Games projects. Beijing 2008 Coordination Commission Chairman Hein Verbruggen reported back to the EB on the success of the Beijing Games, as well as the successful IOC Official Debriefing of the Beijing 2008 Games, which was held in London two weeks ago.   Organising Committee The organisation of the Olympic Games is entrusted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the country of the host city as well as to the host city itself. The NOC forms, for that purpose, an Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG) The OCOG must comply with the Olympic Charter, the contract entered into between the IOC, the National Olympic Committee and the host city (Host City Contract) and the instructions of the IOC Executive Board. Nowadays, the Organising Committees have turned into enormous administrative entities employing hundreds of people. The Organising Committee starts its work with a period of planning, followed by a period of organisation which culminates in the staging of the Games.

The IOC completed yesterday its week-long review of the Beijing 2008 Games to ensure that London and other Games Organising Committees benefit from the lessons learned in Beijing. The IOC Official Debriefing of the Beijing 2008 Games examined all planning and operational aspects of the Beijing Games to highlight best practices, as well as the challenges that were encountered.   Distinct Personality “We’re delighted that the Olympic Games are returning to Great Britain, the birthplace of modern sport,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said. “Every Olympic Games has a distinct personality. The successful Games in Beijing were unique in many ways. London has its own unique assets that will ensure the success of the 2012 Games as well.” Rogge has made knowledge transfer a top priority during his tenure as IOC President. “The 2008 Games set new standards for organisation, venues and athletic performances, but we can always improve,” Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said. “I’m confident that the London organisers will host a first-class event with a uniquely British atmosphere.”   Beijing Debriefing Bringing together around 900 participants, the IOC Official Debriefing of the Beijing 2008 Games took place from 24 to 27 November 2008 in London. This event, which was attended by members of the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 Organising Committees (OCOGs), as well as representatives of the 2016 Candidate Cities and other Games stakeholders, gave these future Games organisers the chance to learn from the experience and knowledge gained by their Beijing counterparts during their seven years of preparation. Comprising two plenary sessions, eight stakeholder sessions and 18 functional area workshops, the event looked at the planning, operational and technical elements of organising an Olympic Games, such as sport, accommodation, transport, culture, education and logistics. The debriefing also addressed the various stakeholders’ experience of groups at the Games like athletes, spectators, workforce and the media. A full technology debrief of the Games was also held in London from 20 to 22 November 2008.   The OGKM Programme The Beijing Debriefing is a key component of the IOC’s Olympic Games Knowledge Management (OGKM) programme, which consists of three main sources: services, personal experience and information. The services include workshops, seminars and a network of experts with Games experience on a range of Olympic topics that the OCOGs are able to call upon throughout their lifecycle. The OCOGs are also able to gain personal experience on Games preparations and operations through the Games-time observers’ programme, the official Games Debriefing and a secondment programme, which allows staff members from future OCOGs to work on the current edition of the Olympic Games. The final element of OGKM is information, which includes elements like the Official Games Report, technical manuals, knowledge reports, a range of useful documents and publications and the IOC’s visual transfer of knowledge of photos and films. All this information is available to the OCOGs through an extranet that is managed by the IOC.

IOC President Jacques Rogge has spoken in London on the role of the Olympic Movement in getting young people to lead physically active, healthy lifestyles, and the impact of the global credit crunch on the Olympic Games.

Giving the second annual de Coubertin Lecture to an audience of leading figures from the worlds of sport, arts and culture, the President said that it was “vital” that the Olympic Movement focuses on getting young people around the world into sport: “I believe that catching the sports bug simply helps you cope with life better. It encourages you to value yourself, and your body. It equips you for learning, and improves your ability to think and create.”

Hooking young people on sport Presented by London 2012 in conjunction with the Royal Society of Arts and the British Olympic Foundation, the de Coubertin lecture is a landmark opportunity to promote the role of Olympism in society. The President used the event, on the eve of the Beijing Debrief, to link the UK’s proud Olympic history with the chance the 2012 Games provides to address inequalities in society.

Increased physical activity was vital if younger generations were to avoid the health consequences of a “sitting down” lifestyle said the President. “British children spend 5 hours and 20 minutes a day glued to a screen. Young people are playing sport less, they are spending more time in cars, and the consequence is more obesity and greater problems.”

Technology’s challenge and opportunity It was vital to use the digital revolution to inspire more young people to take up sport and become active. “New technologies present a challenge, but they also give us new opportunities to engage and interact. On the internet today, people don’t simply sit passively watching content – they create it and share it.”

London’s imaginative logo and adventurous cultural and sporting initiatives showed that they understood this, said the President. “London’s vision places sport and athletes at the heart of the Games,” said the President, but puts a strong focus on “engaging young people, culture and education.”

Credit crunch The President added that the world was going through “difficult times” economically, but that the Olympic Games “had survived difficult times before. They have survived and thrived because of what they mean to people all over the world.” The success of Beijing put the Olympic Movement on a sound footing to deal with the challenges of the coming years, and future organisers were well prepared, he added.

 Discover President Rogge's speech (PDF)

As a key part of the IOC’s transfer of knowledge programme, the IOC Official Debrief of the Beijing 2008 Games will take place from 24 to 27 November 2008 in London. This event, which will be attended by members of the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 Organising Committees (OCOGs), as well as representatives of the 2016 Candidate Cities and other Games stakeholders, will give these future Games organisers the chance to learn from the experience and knowledge gained by their Beijing counterparts during their seven years of preparation.   Experience The event will consist of a combination of plenary discussions and side meetings, which will look at the planning, operational and technical elements of organising an Olympic Games, such as sport, accommodation, transport, culture, education and logistics. There will also be elements of the debrief addressing the various stakeholders’ experience, for participants at the Games such as athletes, spectators, workforce and the media. A full technology debrief will also be held in London the week before. A highlight of the week will be IOC President Jacques Rogge giving the 2008 Pierre de Coubertin Lecture on 24 November. Presented by London 2012 in conjunction with the Royal Society of Arts and the British Olympic Foundation, the President will deliver a speech entitled “Advancing the Games: the IOC, London 2012 and the future of de Coubertin’s Olympic Movement”.   The OGKM Programme The Beijing Debrief is a key component of the IOC’s Olympic Games Knowledge Management (OGKM) programme, which consists of three main elements: services, personal experience and information. The services include workshops, seminars and a network of experts with Games experience on a range of Olympic topics that the OCOGs are able to call upon throughout their lifecycle. The OCOGs are also able to gain personal experience on Games preparations and operations through the Games-time observers’ programme, the official Games Debriefing and a secondment programme, which allows staff members from future OCOGs to work on the current edition of the Olympic Games. The final element of OGKM is information, which includes the Official Games Report, technical manuals, knowledge reports, a range of useful documents and publications and the IOC’s visual transfer of knowledge of photos and films. All this information is available to the OCOGs through an extranet that is managed by the IOC.   The History of OGKM IOC President Jacques Rogge initiated the Olympic Games transfer of knowledge process in 1998 with the assistance of the IOC administration. This project was to become part of a vision that the President would drive forward following his election in 2001 to streamline the Olympic Games and to ensure that future Games organisers can apply successful practices to their own projects. The initial project led to the creation of a company called Olympic Games Knowledge Services (OGKS), whose services were subsequently regrouped under the responsibility of the IOC’s Olympic Games Department in mid-2005 under the name of OGKM.

Sergey Bubka, IOC Member and Olympian, made sure an official Beijing 2008 Olympic torch found a new home today amid the extensive Olympic memorabilia on display at the World of  Coca-Cola in Atlanta, USA.

The Beijing Olympic torch joins a collection of Olympic memorabilia that includes seven other Olympic torches, thousands of Olympic-themed pins and artefacts dating as far back as the 1928 Olympic Games, all commemorating the 80-year partnership between Worldwide TOP Partner Coca-Cola and the Olympic Games.

Sergey Bubka, President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, also holds the world record (6.15 metres) in pole vaulting and is a six-time World Champion and Olympic gold medal winner in the event. He attended the ceremony which was directed by Philip Mooney, Director of Heritage Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, who serves as the official archivist of the company.

“Coca-Cola has always embodied the shared optimism and inspiration that is so central to the Olympic Movement,” said Bubka.  “Thank you to Coca-Cola for playing such a critical role as a sponsor and representing the spirit of the Games and its enduring traditions so well for the past 80 years.”

The Coca-Cola Company has been involved in eight Olympic Torch Relays over the years”, said Mooney. “These Torch Relays bring the excitement of the Olympic Games to people directly, and we continue to share that spirit today by giving visitors to the World of Coca-Cola an opportunity to see a real Olympic torch up close. This is also part of our vision of continually refreshing the attraction so that our guests have a unique experience every time they visit.”

The IOC intends to further analyse the samples collected this summer during the Olympic Games in Beijing. Substances that will be analysed across all sports include EPO CERA. All samples are currently being repatriated to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Lausanne where Olympic samples are usually stored after the Games. The details of the procedure, such as the number of samples to be further analysed and the timeline, are currently being discussed with WADA.   As part of its zero-tolerance policy against doping, the IOC is storing samples collected during the Olympic Games for eight years. This allows the IOC to analyse samples retroactively should fully validated tests to detect new substances/methods become available.   "Our message is very clear. The IOC will not miss any opportunity to further analyse samples retroactively. We hope that this will work as a strong deterrent and make athletes think twice before cheating," said IOC President Jacques Rogge.   Some 4,770 doping tests were carried out in Beijing in the framework of the largest ever testing programme for an Olympic Games. The tests included 3,801 urine and 969 blood tests. Urine tests included 817 EPO tests, and blood tests covered 471 human Growth Hormone (hGH) tests. All the tests covered the 29-day period from 27 July until 24 August 2008. Athletes qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were tested by the World Anti-Doping Agency and BOCOG under the authority of the IOC. As a general rule, all top five finishers, plus a further two, were tested.

The IOC Disciplinary Commission, composed of Thomas Bach (Chairman), Denis Oswald and Gerhard Heiberg, met today in Lausanne (Switzerland) on three pending doping cases from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.   The meeting was convened to deal with adverse analytical findings for Vadim DEVIATOVSKIY, Belarus, silver medallist in the men’s hammer throw competition; Ivan TSIKHAN, Belarus, bronze medallist in the men’s hammer throw competition; and Adam SEROCZYNSKI, Poland, who placed fourth in the men’s kayak double (K2) 1000m event.   The IOC Disciplinary Commission gave the two Belarusian hammer throwers the opportunity to provide further information until 17 October 2008. The decision by the IOC Disciplinary Commission will be taken once this information has been analysed.   The decision concerning the Polish canoeist will be issued by the IOC Disciplinary Commission on 8 October 2008.       ###   For further information, please contact the IOC Communications Department on +41 21 621 60 00 or e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org.

For the man who won 13 Grand Slam singles titles, Roger Federer, winning an Olympic gold medal in Beijing helped him to forget a difficult first part of the year. On 16 August 2008, the Swiss tennis player added an Olympic gold medal to his collection by winning the men's doubles with Stanislas Wawrinka. “It's a magical moment. Something incredible in my career," said Federer. “It has definitively inspired me. It helped me to stay positive and be motivated for the US Open and not maybe be too disappointed.” Which turned out to be exactly right as, a few weeks later, Federer won his fifth consecutive US Open title.   A dream-come-true-moment In 1992, at the age of 11, Federer watched Marc Rosset win a tennis gold medal at the Barcelona Games. This victory perhaps brought out this desire to take part in the Olympic tournament, which brought together the best players of the time. At his first Games, in Sydney in 2000, he missed the Olympic podium by one step, but met his girlfriend of eight years. Four years later, in Athens, he was the flag-bearer of the Swiss delegation, but exited the tournament prematurely. In 2008 in Beijing, he carried the Swiss flag for the second time while celebrating his 27th birthday. “To carry the flag is one of the achievements you only dream about. It was one of the great moments in my career,” said the man considered as the greatest player of all time, before adding, “The Olympic Games is like Wimbledon to me. It’s really a dream come true to be part of it, walking into the stadium at the Opening Ceremony”.     One of the “Heroes” campaign Roger Federer is among the stars of the IOC campaign entitled “Heroes”, along with other legendary Olympic athletes including Yao Ming, Laure Manaudou, Liu Xiang, Yelena Isinbayeva, Kenenisa Bekele, Vanessa Ferrari and Carolina Kluft. All these athletes are superheroes seeking to achieve the seemingly impossible. “Heroes” leverages the determination and performance of Olympic athletes to communicate the key Olympic values. “Heroes” forms part of the IOC’s promotional campaign entitled “The Best of Us” - a simple, powerful idea that transcends cultures and borders, motivating young people around the world to participate in sport by proving that sport can bring out the best in them. The campaign was launched in 2007 and continues to run after the Beijing Games.   All of the elements of the campaign are now available to view at: http://www.olympic.org/uk/bestofus/index_uk.asp  

After 12 days of competition, the Closing Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games on 17 September 2008 officially ended a period of record-breaking competition and events.   279 world records   Almost 4,000 athletes from a total of 147 different countries around the world came to Beijing to compete in their respective sports. Some athletes competed in more than one event, but they all participated at an elite level. Of these 147 countries, five competed in the Paralympic Games for the first time, including Burundi, Gabon, Georgia, Haiti and Montenegro. The Games saw a total of 279 new world records set and a total of 339 new Paralympic records broken.   1.9 million tickets sold   A record number of 1.9 million tickets were sold, with an additional 600,000 tickets provided to children, educational institutes and community groups. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies were sold out, as were all the swimming events and most of the athletics events.   One thousand doping tests conducted Out of more than 1,000 doping tests conducted, there were three anti-doping rule violations. The doping tests performed included urine (Erythropoietin, EPO) and blood tests (Human Growth Hormone (hGH), synthetic haemoglobin (HBOC), blood transfusions (BT) and other substances.    The Beijing Paralympic Games (official website)   Learn more about the Paralympic Games

Thousands of readers followed the Beijing Olympic Games with the “Olympic Express” e-journal on www.olympic.org. Feedback from young people, parents and teachers has been overwhelming. The project proved to be adequate for these target groups. The platform of the Olympic Games allowed us to reach out to people often difficult to attain. Another educational project, the so-called “A quote a day” interviews with IOC President Rogge, was followed on www.olympic.org and on TV as part of the daily 30-minute highlights issued by the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting unit. President Rogge explained in each one of the modules the meaning of Olympic symbols, the importance of the different players in the Olympic Movement and his own role and responsibilities.   Review the Olympic Express Olympic Express will be an integral part of www.olympic.org until the end of September. The content of the 49 different editions – each with eight pages of interactive content- allows readers to get acquainted with all Olympic summer sports and to relive the Beijing Games in a very special way. Adapted to 8 to 12 year-olds, Olympic Express also enables them to get acquainted with Chinese culture and to discover how the Chinese experienced the Games.     Discover the Olympic Express   A quote a day as part of the educational section A quote a day will be integrated in the educational section of www.olympic.org. The President’s explanations are an attractive pedagogical means to get young people in schools acquainted with Olympism. Olympic Express and the “Quote a day” project are part of an overall effort by the IOC to reach out to young people with well-adapted means and tools. The web site remains an excellent platform for this.     Discover the "A quote a day" interviews

An astonishing Opening Ceremony in Beijing on Saturday welcomed the world to the Paralympic Games. The Ceremony, which took place in the "Bird’s Nest", was witnessed by a full house of spectators from all over the world. During the three-hour event, the show focused on the “harmony between man and nature”, with three different parts – space, time and life.  A total of 420 performers with a disability participated in the Opening Ceremony, marking one of the largest performances of this sort. The first three days of the Paralympic Games saw a large rang of high-level competitions in an excellent atmosphere.  Eight hours per day live coverage The International Paralympic Committee (IPC), in collaboration with the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Ltd. (BOB), offers eight hours per day of live commentated coverage of the Paralympic Games. It is broadcasted on the IPC's internet TV channel www.ParalympicSport.TV. BOB - as the host broadcaster - provides live signals of 10 Paralympic sports including athletics, boccia, cycling (track), judo, table tennis, volleyball (sitting), wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.   Video on demand   The official programme of ParalympicSport.TV will have an interesting mixture of the aforementioned sports, with additional daily highlights provided as video on-demand. The daily highlights will also include those sports that are not covered in the live stream. SIXTY Seconds™, the daily news show presented by Paralympian Ambassador Chris Waddell, will wrap up the latest Paralympic Games News. It will be available on the main channel at www.ParalympicSport.TV, as well as on the YouTube Channel of ParalympicSport.TV at www.youtube.com/paralympicsporttv.    The Beijing Paralympic Games (official website)   Learn more about the Paralympic Games

Three days to go for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. The Games will kick off with another spectacular ceremony in the National Stadium – the Bird’s Nest - in Beijing. Over 13 days, 4,000 athletes from 148 countries will compete in 20 sports. The Paralympics will be staged in the same iconic venues as the Olympic Games in August, including the sailing competitions in Qingdao and the equestrian competitions in Hong Kong.

Paralympic firsts
Burundi, Gabon, Georgia, Haiti and Timor-Leste will participate for the first time in the Paralympic Games; Serbia and Montenegro will participate for the first time as two delegations. The Chinese delegation, with 332 athletes and 215 officials, is the country's largest at the Paralympics. Rowing is on the sports programme for the first time.

Torch relay under way
The Games will be preceded by a torch relay that includes 850 torch bearers who are carrying the torch over 10 days in different provinces of the country. Some 30,000 volunteers will welcome and assist the athletes.

Paralympic Village opened The Paralympic Village was opened formally on Saturday, with the Chinese squad hoisting its flag and moving in. The Paralympic Village, transformed from the Olympic Village, will play host to the athletes and officials. Special accessories and facilities have been added to the Village to meet the needs of physically challenged athletes. Spread over 66 hectares, the Village has 42 apartment buildings, a hospital, a bank, places of worship and many shops.

A commemorative wall with the inscription of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in Chinese and English, was also unveiled on Saturday. The Convention was unanimously approved by delegates of the 192 UN members two years ago, and became effective from 3 May this year. All athletes, officials and visitors to the Village can sign their names on the wall, which will be retained as a legacy of the Beijing Paralympic Games.

 Facts and Figures

 Discover Paralympic Games through the Olympic Express

 Learn more about the Paralympic Games

With the wonderful Beijing 2008 Olympic Games now over, the athletes of the world will be already starting to turn their attentions to the next summer Games, which will be held in London in 2012. With a vision to use the power of the Games to inspire change, London 2012 will look to create an experience where everyone is invited to take part, join in and enjoy the most exciting event in the world.   Sport At Its Heart London 2012 will have sport at its heart and will stimulate people to do more and to try new things and reassess what we are all capable of doing. From the youngsters just starting out in sport to top level athletes via the enthusiastic amateur, London will look to inspire all. Central to this idea is the athletes and London 2012’s planning shows very clearly that the importance of the athletes has been clearly recognized and that they will be well looked after in 2012.   Venue Construction With the start of construction on London’s Olympic Stadium and Aquatics centre ahead of schedule by three and two months respectively, London 2012 is on track to deliver great venues for the Games and the sports events that will precede them. As IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Denis Oswald pointed out during the Commission’s last visit in May, “The most visible element is obviously venue construction, and the progress made on the Olympic Park, in particular, is truly astounding. In all the areas of preparation, we have been able to see marked progress by the London 2012 team, and this puts LOCOG on track to deliver great Games in 2012 and a great legacy beyond.”   Come And Join  In 2012 So for fans of summer sports, mark the date of 27 July 2012 in your calendar and come join us in London for what will undoubtedly be a fabulous sporting and cultural experience! And if you like winter sports, we’ll see you in Vancouver on 12 February 2010 for some winter sports fun too.   LONDON 2012 London was elected as the Host City for the Games of the XXX Olympiad on 6 July 2005 at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore. London eventually succeeded in the fourth round of voting taking 54 votes from a possible 104. London faced stiff opposition during the vote from the other four candidate cities: Paris, New York, Moscow and Madrid. There will be 26 sports on the Olympic Programme in London in 2012 and around 10,500 athletes.

The President of the Beijing 2008 Organising Committee (BOCOG), Liu Qi, today received the Olympic Order in Gold from the hands of International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) President Jacques Rogge in recognition of all the hard work that went into putting on these truly exceptional Games. This was China’s last gold medal of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games but perhaps its most important one because after seven years of intense preparations, BOCOG and China has offered to the world 16 days of exciting Olympic sports competitions, supported by smooth operations - a success which has permitted the athletes to achieve their best in optimal conditions.   High standard and hospitality At the Closing Ceremony of the Beijing Games, President Rogge thanked the people of China, BOCOG and, of course, the wonderful volunteers for their tremendous work and support for the Games. This thanks was echoed from all corners of the Olympic Movement. From the athletes to the International Sports Federations via the media and Games sponsors, everyone has praised the standard of these Games and the hospitality of the Chinese people. The presenting of the Olympic Order in Gold is another sign of the thanks that the IOC wished to give to its Chinese friends. Thank you China, thank you Beijing!   Other Awards In addition to the Olympic Order in Gold that was presented to President Liu Qi, 14 members of the Beijing Organising Committee’s senior leadership were presented with the Olympic Order in Silver and a further 90 members of BOOCG received the Olympic rings. These awards underline the great work done by the whole of the Beijing 2008 organisation in putting on these Games.

Sport — Amazing Venues, Amazing Results · A record 204 NOCs participating; record number of women participating · 132 Olympic records, 43 world records (as of 24/8 at 9:30) · A record 87 NOCs join medal count — the most ever · First-ever medals for Afghanistan, Mauritius, Tajikistan and Togo; first-ever gold medals for Bahrain, Mongolia and Panama; first individual gold for India · Rave reviews for venues, Olympic Village, transportation and Games organization   International Popularity — On Track To Become the Most-Watched Games in History · More broadcast coverage to more people in more regions than ever · First Olympic Games in history to have global digital coverage · Record TV ratings in U.S. and China · Record traffic to Games-related Web sites · More visitors to IOC’s site in first week than during entire 2004 Games; site has received over 5 million unique visitors so far (compared to 2.8 million unique visitors during 2004, total) · 16.5 million views on IOC’s digital channel (YouTube), across Africa, Asia and the Middle East   Olympic Magic — Memorable Moments · Opening Ceremony awes international audience — Record audiences across the world’s major markets. 80 percent audience share in China. 50 percent share in U.S. and major European markets. · Phelps wins eight gold medals · Bolt streaks across finish line twice in 100-m and 200-m · Georgian and Russian embrace at shooting range · A half-million enthusiastic Chinese volunteers welcome Olympic visitors   Meeting Challenges   Doping - Zero tolerance gets results; nearly 40 cheaters caught before the Games, 4 cheaters caught by IOC during Games - Record number of athletes tested, stringent new testing requirements   Air Quality - Competition opened on second consecutive day of Grade I air quality, a decade-long record for Beijing - In the other 8 days, Beijing's air quality was Grade II, which still fell well within WHO and IOC standards - Stringent monitoring protects athletes’ health   Attendance - Attendance has more than tripled since the start of the Beijing Games

We are nearing the end of the XXIX Olympiad and these remarkable Olympic Games. We have seen achievements over the past two weeks that we will remember for the rest of our lives.   It has been a long journey since our decision in July 2001 to bring the Olympic Games to China, but there can now be no doubt that we made the right choice. Thank you for your support and your help.   There are so many people to thank — the IOC Executive Board; Hein Verbruggen and his colleagues on the Coordination Commission; Gilbert Felli, our executive director of the Games, and the IOC staff; our partners at BOCOG; the Chinese government; and all of our Chinese friends who worked so hard to make these Games successful. Thanks also to the IOC members from China, Zhenliang He and Zaiqing Yu, for their invaluable assistance.   To hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic volunteers, we have heard you say it many times, now it is my turn to say: Thank you for your cooperation! We will leave China with warm memories of your smiles, your enthusiasm and your eager willingness to help.  You are the future of China. We wish you the best.   The list of accomplishments at these Games reflects the high level of competition and the universality of the Olympic Movement.   A record 204 National Olympic Committees participated the Games.   87 National Olympic Committees had medal winners;   Women athletes participated in record numbers — about 45 percent of the athletes were women.   The athletes set more than 40 world records and more than 120 Olympic records. We had more broadcast coverage to more people, in more places than ever. We had global digital coverage for the first time.   These are likely to be the most widely watched Games in Olympic history. Of course, statistics tell only part of the story.   The Games are not just a showcase for the world’s best competitions and athletes. They help break barriers and overcome differences. These Games were historic because they were held in the world’s most populous nation for the first time. One-fifth of the world’s population was exposed to Olympic values in a way that they never had experienced before.   The world learned more about China, and China learned more about the rest of the world. And together, we shared the excitement and drama of the Games. We are first and foremost an organization devoted to sport, but it is sport with a purpose. Placing sport at the service of mankind and leveraging Olympic values to promote better understanding between people, nations and religions stands at the core of our mission. The IOC and the Olympic Games cannot force changes on sovereign nations or solve all the ills of the world. But we can — and we do — contribute to positive change through sport.   Some of the changes in China are obvious today. Others will become apparent with time. The many improvements to mass transit and public infrastructure for the Games will improve the quality of life and environmental conditions in Beijing for years to come. The Games have also significantly heightened awareness of environmental issues, leading to major advances in the areas of energy consumption, sustainable water consumption, waste management and air quality.   The legacy of these Games for China is ultimately up to the Chinese people. The changes that are transforming this remarkable nation did not start with the Olympic Games and they will not end with the closing ceremony.   The Games have been a dream fulfilled and a source of inspiration for a generation of young Chinese people. Some of the friendly volunteers we have met over the past two weeks will be tomorrow’s leaders. They have emerged from this experience with new confidence and a better understanding of Olympic values. That may ultimately the greatest legacy of these Games.   We will all leave China with our personal list of special moments. The spectacular performances of Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt were certainly unforgettable. But there were many other moving scenes: the embrace of rival competitors from nations in conflict, the unfortunate injury of Liu Xiang, the tears of joy from athletes who have overcome personal tragedies and hardship.   We will cherish these moments, but we cannot simply file away our experiences. As we look to Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014, we must always remember our responsibility to keep the Olympic dream alive for future generations in all parts of the world. Let us leave China with a renewed dedication to our task. Thank you, colleagues;

Thank you, China.