Masterclass in Olympic planning

The masterclass came after Coe and London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) CEO Paul Deighton completed a series of venue visits and high level discussions with senior Beijing 2008 Olympic organisers.

The venue visits centred on the Beijing Olympic Park (Olympic Green) complex which will house several key venues designed for athletes.

"This visit to Beijing has provided us with the rare opportunity to see a working model of the Olympic Games in the planning phase," said Coe.

"The Beijing Olympic Park site gives us a benchmark for where we should be at a similar stage of construction on London's Olympic Park."

Discussions centred on the importance of planning for the long-term use of Olympic venues based around the needs of host city communities and the need to use the Games to inspire young people to take up sport.

Speaking after the meetings, LOCOG's CEO said that Beijing reinforced the need to get the planning around long-term use of the venues right at the start of the process so that the construction can be continuous.

"You need to get the balance right," said Deighton.

"The balance of building facilities for the Games and the long-term use or legacy of the venues after the Games for the host city and its communities."

11 April 2006

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