With all the preparations done by the Chinese government for the Beijing Olympics, the Games will turn out to be a great festival for the whole world, Henri Serandour, president of the French Olympic Committee, told Xinhua in an interview?in Paris?on Thursday.
As the host of the 2008 Olympic Games, China has done sufficient and outstanding preparation work for the grand gathering, said Serandour.
The French Olympic official, who has been to China four times and witnessed preparatory work including the construction of the Olympic venues, said he was impressed by both the quality and exterior designs of all the Olympic venues and infrastructure.
"The National Aquatics, or the Water Cube, is the most impressive one for me ... I believe sportsmen who have a chance to compete in it must feel very happy."
Many French athletes have been toiling in the past four years for the Beijing Olympics, Serandour said, adding that they have not only received systematic training but have also competed in events of various levels to get themselves better prepared for the upcoming Beijing Olympics.
"French athletes have a great potential to capture gold medals in swimming, equestrian, judo and fencing. If all of them could perform their best in Beijing, France will get between 37 to 40 medals," Serandour said with great confidence.
Although France aspires to pocket as many medals as possible, the country has also put equal emphasis on safeguarding the purity of sport.
Serandour said France has adopted a series of measures including the establishment of anti-doping agencies and stricter enforcement of anti-doping regulations.
"We have to compete clean in the Olympics," he said.
"I hope the French athletes could achieve a great success in Beijing. "Serandour said, adding that French President Nicholas Sarkozy will give the athletes a pep talk at the Beijing Olympics Village before attending the opening ceremony on Aug. 8.
(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2008)