Beijing Olympic village best ever: Rogge

• Source: Global Times
• [22:24 February 09 2010]
• Comments

Canada's speed skater Denny Morrison performs during a training session at Richmond Olympic Oval in Vancouver Tuesday, ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge pledged on his election that he would never say a particular Games was "the best ever", but he has no such qualms on nominating his favorite Olympic Village.

And the winner is Beijing.

"I can say with hindsight that the Summer Games' best ever Olympic Village, this I am ready to say, the best ever village, as I reside in the village most of the time, there's no doubt that Beijing was number one," he said.

Rogge has yet to visit the villages in Vancouver and Whistler, where athletes will live during the Winter Olympics that start Saturday and run through to February 28, but said he had heard they too were up there with Beijing.

"From what I hear, it would seem from all experts and the National Olympic Committees, and the athletes that both villages, in Vancouver and in Whistler, are absolutely fabulous."

Agencies