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Top IOC delegates to make Hong Kong inspection

A high-level delegation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) will visit Hong Kong next week.

The visit is their first since the territory was awarded the right to co-host the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The 13-member delegation will be headed by Hein Verbruggen, chairman of the Coordination Commission for the 2008 Summer Games.

Other delegates include Gilbert Felli, Executive Director of the Olympic Games Department of the IOC and his deputy Christophe Dubi, Jean-Benoit Gauthier, Technology Director of IOC, Francis Gabet, Olympic Museum Director and Catrin Norinder, Manager of Eventing and Olympic Department of the FEI.

At its 117th Session held in Singapore last month, the IOC announced that Hong Kong would be co-hosting the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Games with the support of the FEI.

Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC, visited the territory two days after the announcement was made in early July but the IOC chief had never had the chance to sit down and discuss with the local authorities regarding details of the organisation of the 2008 events during his brief stay in the territory.

'This will be the first meeting between IOC and the local preparatory group for the equestrian organising committee,' a government source said yesterday. 'We will brief them on the progress that has been made so far and bring them also to the proposed event sites for inspection. We hope the IOC officials will get a good picture of what our plans for staging the event in 2008. Senior government officials will also meet the delegates to show the support of the SAR government to the equestrian events.'

It is believed that Patrick Ho Chi-ping, Secretary for Home Affairs, will meet the delegates while Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan may also attend, while Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and a member of the IOC Coordination Commission, will host a lunch for the delegates.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, which will be putting up more than $800 million to provide the facilities for dressage, show-jumping and three-day eventing competitions for the 2008 Games, will also be involved and anticipate more details from the authorities as the visit approaches.

'All we know is that they will come to visit our facilities at the Sha Tin Racecourse and Beas River. We have also prepared a presentation on our facilities when they visit the Beas River,' said a Jockey Club spokesman.

A hefty $1.3 billion has been set aside for co-hosting the equestrian events of the 2008 Games in Hong Kong after Chinese authorities found it difficult to establish a virus free zone in Beijing.

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