From left to right: ATHOC Executive Director Marton Simitsek, Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the 2004 Games Denis Oswald, Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Hein Verbruggen, BOCOG Executive Vice-President Liu Jingmin and BOCOG Vice-President Wang Wei

　　Athens’ transfer of knowledge constituted an excellent opportunity for the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) to gain insight into the organization of a successful games and subsequently refine preparations for the 2008 Olympics, Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Hein Verbruggen said in Beijing Wednesday.

　　Verbruggen made the remark in his address to the IOC Debriefing of Athens Olympics that concluded in Beijing on Nov. 3, 2004. Among those attending the closing ceremony are BOCOG Executive Vice-President Liu Jingmin and Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli.

　　Organizers of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games made detailed presentations about their experience in various areas, including the design of the Olympic logo and its prospect, utilization of key Olympic resources, planning and implementation of stadium construction, organization of sport competitions and organization of the Paralympics. Verbruggen said the four-day meeting was fruitful.

　　He said it is crucial for BOCOG to thoroughly understand, absorb and utilize the experience of Athens.he expressed his desire that BOCOG also seek its own path to success whilst gaining knowledge from past Games. He emphasized that Beijing should be innovative in learning from the success of Athens by exploring a way of hosting the games according to China’s real conditions. Finally, he wishes the Beijing Olympics and Beijing Paralympics great success,

　　Liu Jingmin appreciated the excellent presentations by representatives from the Athens Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (ATHOC), saying the meeting is of great significance for Beijing in the process of preparing for the 2008 Olympic Games. He said the comprehensive presentation by ATHOC gave Beijing’s organizers an all-round, in-depth insight of the whole process of preparing for and staging the Olympic Games. He said since Beijing gained a clearer picture of the Olympic competitions and the key areas and links in the preparation for the games, the organizers have become more ready to overcome possible difficulties and challenges in the future.

　　Liu said the success of the meeting indicates that the IOC has become more and more consistent and effective in supervising and managing the Olympic Games. He said BOCOG will further strengthen its cooperation with the IOC and its coordination commission, whilst enhancing communications with ATHOC, International Sports Federations and National Olympic Committees. Liu reiterated that BOCOG will strive to hold a high-standards Olympics.

　　Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the 2004 Games Denis Oswald and ATHOC Executive Director Marton Simitsek also made speeches at the meeting. Some 300 people attended the meeting, including BOCOG Vice-President Wang Wei and personages from the IOC, the Athens 2004 Organising Committee (ATHOC), the Turin Organizing Committee for the XX Olympic Winter Games (TOROC), the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and bidding cities for the 2012 Olympiad.