Vancouver organisers blast British media over Games criticism 18/02/2010 |
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Organisers of the Vancouver Winter Olympics have slammed the British media for what they believe is unfair criticism of the event.
The Games have been hit by the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili and continued weather problems which have led to the postponement of events and the cancellation of thousands of tickets.
But organisers have said they are shocked by the ferocity of the criticism and believe it is not giving a true picture of the Games.
"Yes, it shocks me a lot because our assessment is that the competitions are excellent, the athletes are very satisfied," said Renee Smith-Valade, spokeswoman for organising committee VANOC.
"We can't do anything about the weather – all we can do is react properly to it.
"In our view, the reactions we are getting from spectators here and on television are that the Games are excellent, that Canadians are proud and that the Games are a great success."
She pointed out that challenges for the hosts of Winter Games were nothing new and that organisers of the 1988 Calgary Olympics were forced to postpone dozens of events because of warm weather.
"There's no question we've seen some press in Britain that we would look at and wonder which city the reporter's reporting from," Smith-Valade added.
"It doesn't feel like it's here because we're seeing people out on the streets celebrating."
International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said the IOC was "impressed and continues to be impressed by the level of organisation”.
He continued: "What I read in the British papers bears absolutely no relation to what I've been seeing in these Games.”
Organisers also won praise from British Olympics minister Tessa Jowell, who added: "I think that VANOC have done a really wonderful job.
"They have had some really big challenges, like the weather for instance, but what they have really got going for them, and I think this is something that our media back home doesn't quite get, is that these are Canada's Games and the people of Vancouver are 1000% behind them.
"Whatever carping there may have been in the British media, it is not reflected here."
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