Interview: Double Olympics affirm China's passion and excellent organization, says Montenegrin official

BELGRADE, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Two Olympic Games held in Beijing within a span of 14 years are lasting evidence of China's passion for sports and amazing organizational abilities, Igor Vusurovic, secretary general of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

As a former professional volleyball player and participant at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Vusurovic recalled his playing career with pride and joy. Now representing the national Olympic body of Montenegro, he rejoiced in the participation of his country in Beijing, which he says has laid a good foundation for the future of winter sports in Montenegro.

"The impressions of our athletes were that the Olympic villages were spacious and of good quality, well-organized transportation, the hospitality of hosts and all of the volunteers, so their impressions in that part were great," Vusurovic told Xinhua. "The opening and closing ceremonies were impressive, with excellent messages. All our participants returned to Montenegro with strong impressions related to the organization and the event itself."

Comparing the 2008 and 2022 Games in Beijing, Vusurovic stressed the lasting memories of the athletes and the hospitality of the host country.

"I had the honor of being in Beijing in 2008 when the Montenegrin team competed for the first time at an Olympic Games. All the athletes came back here full of emotions and great impressions," he said, adding that China has "a lot to offer and to show - with its rich history, tradition, and sporting achievement. The beautiful fireworks and impressive messages truly deserve praise."

He pointed out that Beijing hosting both Summer and Winter Olympics reflected the passion of the Chinese people for sports and shows its organizational ability.

"I know very well what the passion of the Chinese people is for sports because I attended the Games in 2008 when so many people wanted to be present at the competitions. The IOC awarded the Games to Beijing in a pretty short framework and this speaks to the quality of the contents, venues, the strength of the national Olympic committee, human resources - to organize the Games twice in a relatively short period," said Vusurovic.

"For me, that highlights China as a country of sports and a global power praised for its organizational abilities. The two events complement each other, and I think China has the right to be proud of both the 2008 and 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing."

Announcing future plans for winter sports development in Montenegro, he revealed that his country will put hundreds of kilometers of ski slopes in use and promote them to tourists and domestic winter sports lovers alike over the next decade.

"In the next ten years, I expect that we will have 150-200 kilometers of ski slopes, which will certainly lead to an expansion of winter sports in Montenegro. The new highway built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will connect the capital of Podgorica and Kolasin, where there are around 50 kilometers of ski tracks, and Montenegrin people will be able to ski much more," Vusurovic concluded.