Venues filling up as Games enter final stages: Bocog official

Empty seats at competition venues, common during the first week of the Beijing Olympics, have been filled by increasing numbers of spectators as the Games approach their climax, according to event organisers.

The Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games admitted last week that low attendance at many venues had worried authorities, so volunteers were used to fill up empty seats.

But things had improved markedly in the past few days, said Yao Hui, vice-director of Bocog's venue management department.

'In the early stages, several events in some of the venues have seen fairly low attendance, mostly because of their unfavourable timing - either they started too early or ended late at night,' he said.

'But as many of the sports events enter their finals, seat occupation is gradually on the rise, with quite a number of venues seeing full houses.'

He noted that other factors had also contributed to disappointing attendance at the Games in the first few days. Corporate sponsors, local officials and other VIPs who were given the best seats at competition venues did not show up at some events.

For some events that lasted for the entire morning, afternoon or evening, many ticket holders tended not to stay until the end, he added.