IOC Impressed by Nanjing

(ATR) President Jacques Rogge says the IOC is "extremely happy" about progress towards the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing.

"Today was a very interesting day," he said Tuesday during a joint press conference with Yang Weize, executive president of NYOGOC.

"I could see how many enthusiastic and capable young people are involved in the YOG."

Rogge arrived in China late Monday for his second visit to the host city. He also stopped by straight after the 2010 YOG in Singapore.

"When I last came here I could only see the groundwork, and now the Youth Olympic Village is almost up and finished and this is really very impressive," he said.

During his tour of the construction site, which Nanjing insists is well ahead of schedule, he was shown a model of one of the rooms where more than 4,000 athletes and officials will stay during the YOG.

"The quality of the Youth Olympic Village is excellent," confirmed Rogge.

Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli and Alexander Popov, who chairs the Coordination Commission for Nanjing 2014, rounded out the IOC delegation in Nanjing.

Their busy agenda for Tuesday also included a visit to NYOGOC headquarters to meet with staff volunteers and junior consultants as well as senior executives including Luo Zhijun, General Secretary of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee and Honorary President of NYOGOC, and Li Xueyong, President of NYOGOC and Governor of Jiangsu Province.

A formal dinner and closing press conference completed the IOC’s whirlwind stop in Nanjing.

"We warmly welcome President Rogge's visit to Nanjing which shows the IOC's attention and support for Nanjing 2014 YOG," said Yang, also party secretary for the host city.

"All of the preparatory work has been well organized and is being pushed forward smoothly. We have no doubt that Nanjing will host a wonderful and memorable YOG and fulfill its commitments to both the IOC and the international community".

Rogge added: "I have absolutely no doubt that the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games will be a great success and inspire young people from cities, nations and around the world to become more active in sport.

"In short, I congratulate the organization for the quality of their work and confirm the IOC is extremely happy about the progress."

Rogge and Felli were visiting Nanjing en route to Korea, where Around the Rings will be on the scene as the IOC president makes his first visit to 2018 Winter Olympics host PyeongChang.

Written by Matthew Grayson

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