15 August 2008Beijing, ChinaAs per tradition at each Olympic Games, the IAAF Dinner of the Games of the 29th Olympiad, Beijing 2008 was held last night (14) on the eve of the commencement of the Athletics competitions.
IAAF President Lamine Diack welcomed HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, IOC President Jacques Rogge, IOC Vice-President Gunnilla Lunberg (CHECK), Senegalese Ambassador to China, Papa Khalilou Fall, and fellow members of the IAAF Council, at a cocktail followed by dinner for 450 guests.
The dinner took place in the Double Tree Hilton Hotel, Beijing, on an evening that was honoured by the presence of so many track and field greats. As well as the usual luminaries, like Sergey Bubka, Seb Coe, and Nawal Moutawakel who sit on the IAAF Council, the guest list included official IAAF Ambassadors - Steve Cram, Stephane Diagana, Hicham El Guerrouj, Frank Fredericks, Michael Johnson, Wilson Kipketer, Steve Ovett, Marie-Jose Perec, Mike Powell, and Bruny Surin.
Three presentations were made during the evening highlighted by the IAAF Council’s award of the IAAF’s highest honour, the Golden Order of Merit, to Jacques Rogge the President of the International Olympic Committee for his contribution to the development of the sport of Athletics through the Olympic Movement.
To mark the occasion of the Games being hosted by China, the President of the Athletic Association of the People’s Republic of China Duan Shijie, the Deputy Minister of General Administration of Sport in China, received an IAAF Plaque from President Diack.
Accompanied by his Excellency the Senegalese Ambassador to China, Papa Khalilou Fall, President Diack on behalf of the Senegalese Government helped bestow the Senegalese National Order of the Lion, on former IAAF Vice-President Lou Dapeng.
Lou Dapeng has been intrinsically associated with organisation of the Games of the 29th Olympiad, Beijing 2008, and before stepping down in Osaka last year had been Vice-President since 1999 and a Council Member since 1984, and Chairman of the IAAF Competition Commission.
The formalities ended with the words, “Let the Games begin!”, as with all due respect to other international sports federations is how Athletics likes to see the commencement of its programme of competition at each Olympic Games which is always held in front of the biggest daily crowds.
IAAF