Beijing:- Beijing Olympics will pose a challenge to London's preparations for the 2012 Games, British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan said Friday.

Moynihan said Beijing's well-oiled organisational machinery will ensure a "historic" Olympic Games, making the job tougher for the hosts of the next edition of the quadrennial extravaganza.

"It will be a great challenge for London to match what Beijing has given to the Olympic movement. We have to work very hard the day we get back. We only have four years to go," he said.

The London organising committee has sent over 100 persons to Beijing, and they are working alongside Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the 29th Olympiad (BOCOG) to learn about running the Games, according to Moynihan.

Impressed by the organisation and facilities, Moynihan said the Beijing Olympics starting Friday would be a friendly and successful one.

"The facilities are better than I've ever seen. They are state of the art, absolutely right for the 21st century,' he said.

"The way they've been receiving the athletes indicates there will be a friendly and successful Games." Moynihan said.

Moynihan was surprised to see the "significant changes" in the city and China.

"The city has been transformed and continue to be transformed," he added.

He also felt that the air quality had been improved with great efforts from the government.

"What the government has done here is to really seek to tackle it, very strongly in a range of measure, planning construction, shutting down polluting industries...The air quality is much better compared to a year ago when I was here." he said.

 

Source : IANS