Source : Xinhua
17/12/2010
GUANGZHOU, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Dato' Zainal Abu Zarin, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC), said on Friday that he was impressed by China's commitment to promote the Paralympic Movement.
"What impressed me most is the commitment of the government, the government of Guangzhou, the provincial government and also the central government. We can see and feel that commitment," Abu Zarin told Xinhua.
"The organizers promised us that they would do the Games, the Asian Games and the Asian Para Games, with equal splendor. And they just did that. The Games will close in three days, but we have already felt satisfied with the services and the management. We know that the concept of 'Two Games with equal splendor' has been achieved.
"We can see the Games is successful. I am not just saying this from my own evaluation. That's the feedback I gained from people when I paid a visit to stadiums, competition venues and met the athletes and officials. I got the same feedback that our Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games has met the objectives," he added.
The ongoing Games is the first multi-sports event for the disabled under the title of "Asian". And it is also the first time that Asian Games and Asian Para Games are held in the same year and same city.
Competition and training venues as well as many other facilities used for the 16th Asian Games have been converted to be accessible for the Asian Para Games participants.
Abu Zarin visited the Games Village on Friday morning and was satisfied with what he had seen and heard.
"This is the third time that I visited the Games Village. I found that everybody that I met expressed the same thing. They are very satisfied with the services and they are very happy with the atmosphere being created and the food is fantastic. So they love the place and the services as well," he said.
More than 4,000 facilities accessible to the disabled persons made the Games Village a barrier-free residence for the over 2,000 athletes and officials.
Abu Zarin said the management staff in the village prepared extra clothes and quilts for the athletes as the temperature dropped sharply in recent days.
"They are working with love and care, care for the athletes. It makes the athletes feel at home and very secure," said Abu Zarin.
Abu Zarin expressed his compliments on the Guangzhou Para Games, labelling it as a benchmark for the future host cities to follow.
"We were looking for some kind of standard because we need to work on a standard. The Games that is being managed and organized by Guangzhou is actually benchmarking the future Games to a standard where from this standard, we are not going to look backward and we are going forward. For every Games we organize, with this standard we want to improve in all sectors," he said.
The Games will conclude on Sunday and now the head of APC is expecting a closing ceremony that are as splendid as the opening ceremony.
"If people enjoyed the opening ceremony I think they will equally enjoy the close ceremony. Opening ceremony is welcoming and it is a closing to say goodbye. It will be a sweet goodbye, not a bitter one," said Abu Zarin.