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First test event fruitful
By Li Qian (Chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2006-09-12 15:21

Softball is a not a popular sport in China, and the event will not be included in Olympics after the 2008 Beijing Games. All the additional seats besides the 5,000 fixed seats are temporary and can be easily dismantled, which reduces costs and avoids waste after the Games.

ISF President Don Porter said at an executive board meeting on August 30 that the Women's Softball World Championship in Beijing was a great success, and he was content with the softball centre, and that the ISF would assist in developing the softball training and playing centre after the 2008 Games.

Yang Shu'an, BOCOG executive deputy president told the media at the Fengtai Softball Centre on September 5 that the Women's Championship was successful, but there is still room for improvements for Olympic events.

ISF official Bruce Wawrzyniak advised the softball organizing committee to give journalists more athlete and team technical statistics during the matches. Wawrzyniak also criticized the disorder at the press box, where photographers and journalists were mixed up.

A Japanese journalist said his country sent as many as 80 reporters to China, but they found the press area was too small.

China Daily newspaper reporter Yu Yilei said it's inappropriate to make VIPs and reporters enter the softball centre through one entrance, which he believed would affect VIP security and interfere with reporters' work.

Beijing Youth Daily reporter Wang Yuan said it was pity that the event missed the chance to publicize Chinese culture, as many foreign athletes and reporters were disappointed when they couldn't find anywhere to buy posters of the event, which were made using a traditional paper-cut craft.

 


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