4,770 doping tests were carried out in Beijing in the framework of the largest ever testing programme for an Olympic Games. The tests included 3,801 urine and 969 blood tests. Urine tests included 817 EPO tests, and blood tests covered 471 human Growth Hormone (hGH) tests. All the tests covered the 29-day period from 27 July until 24 August 2008. Athletes qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games were tested by the World Anti-Doping Agency and BOCOG under the authority of the IOC. As a general rule, all top five finishers, plus a further two, were tested.

Increase from 3,600 to 4,770
The Beijing test figures show an increase of 32.5 % compared to the previous summer Games in 2004 in Athens. The tests were conducted at 41 doping control stations, 34 located in Beijing and seven in the co-host cities. All venues were equipped with a standard doping control station where blood and urine were collected.

Who did what?
As the ruling body for the Olympic Games, the IOC delegated the responsibility for implementing doping controls to the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They acted under the IOC’s authority. The IOC Medical Commission was responsible for overseeing all doping control processes on-site, in full compliance with the IOC Anti-Doping Rules, the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Standard for Testing (ISO9001:2000).

 Learn more about the IOC Medical Commission

Thirty-six years after his first participation in the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972, Canada’s Ian Millar became a silver medallist in team show jumping. In the saddle on In Style, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, he did three magnificent circuits at the Sha Tin hippodrome in Hong Kong.

For the outstanding horseman, this Olympic reward is finally being added to an already impressive list of titles. For example, with his legendary chestnut Big Ben, he was the first to win two consecutive World Cup show jumping finals in 1988 and 1989.

Aged 61, he is the oldest medallist of the Beijing Games, without actually being the oldest to take part in the equestrian events. Indeed, this honour goes to Hiroshi Hoketsu, a Japanese dressage rider of 67 years.

With nine Olympiads under his belt, Millar also holds the same Games participation record as Austrian sailor Hubert Raudaschl. This is not counting his selection for the Olympic Games in Moscow, in which he could not participate owing to the boycott.

In spite of the years and the succession of Olympic Games, Ian Millar’s passion and enthusiasm remains intact. Remembering his first Games participation with Shoeman, he recalls: “He looked around that big stadium and stopped dead in his tracks. I could feel his heart beating against my legs.” You can be sure that the horse rider’s heart was also beating hard in Munich – and even more so in the Beijing Games.

 

With the wonderful Beijing 2008 Olympic Games now over, the athletes of the world will be already starting to turn their attentions to the next summer Games, which will be held in London in 2012. With a vision to use the power of the Games to inspire change, London 2012 will look to create an experience where everyone is invited to take part, join in and enjoy the most exciting event in the world.

 

London 2012 will have sport at its heart and will stimulate people to do more and to try new things and reassess what we are all capable of doing. From the youngsters just starting out in sport to top level athletes via the enthusiastic amateur, London will look to inspire all. Central to this idea is the athletes and London 2012’s planning shows very clearly that the importance of the athletes has been clearly recognized and that they will be well looked after in 2012.

 

With the start of construction on London’s Olympic Stadium and Aquatics centre ahead of schedule by three and two months respectively, London 2012 is on track to deliver great venues for the Games and the sports events that will precede them. As IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Denis Oswald pointed out during the Commission’s last visit in May, “The most visible element is obviously venue construction, and the progress made on the Olympic Park, in particular, is truly astounding. In all the areas of preparation, we have been able to see marked progress by the London 2012 team, and this puts LOCOG on track to deliver great Games in 2012 and a great legacy beyond.”

 

So for fans of summer sports, mark the date of 27 July 2012 in your calendar and come join us in London for what will undoubtedly be a fabulous sporting and cultural experience! And if you like winter sports, we’ll see you in Vancouver on 12 February 2010 for some winter sports fun too.

 

London was elected as the Host City for the Games of the XXX Olympiad on 6 July 2005 at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore. London eventually succeeded in the fourth round of voting taking 54 votes from a possible 104. London faced stiff opposition during the vote from the other four candidate cities: Paris, New York, Moscow and Madrid. There will be 26 sports on the Olympic Programme in London in 2012 and around 10,500 athletes.

The President of the Beijing 2008 Organising Committee (BOCOG), Liu Qi, today received the Olympic Order in Gold from the hands of International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) President Jacques Rogge in recognition of all the hard work that went into putting on these truly exceptional Games. This was China’s last gold medal of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games but perhaps its most important one because after seven years of intense preparations, BOCOG and China has offered to the world 16 days of exciting Olympic sports competitions, supported by smooth operations - a success which has permitted the athletes to achieve their best in optimal conditions.

 

At the Closing Ceremony of the Beijing Games, President Rogge thanked the people of China, BOCOG and, of course, the wonderful volunteers for their tremendous work and support for the Games. This thanks was echoed from all corners of the Olympic Movement. From the athletes to the International Sports Federations via the media and Games sponsors, everyone has praised the standard of these Games and the hospitality of the Chinese people. The presenting of the Olympic Order in Gold is another sign of the thanks that the IOC wished to give to its Chinese friends. Thank you China, thank you Beijing!

 

In addition to the Olympic Order in Gold that was presented to President Liu Qi, 14 members of the Beijing Organising Committee’s senior leadership were presented with the Olympic Order in Silver and a further 90 members of BOOCG received the Olympic rings. These awards underline the great work done by the whole of the Beijing 2008 organisation in putting on these Games.

On the last day of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the 120th IOC Session concluded today with the following decisions:

New IOC Members
The Session elected four new IOC members: Moon Dae-Sung, Alexander Popov, Claudia Bokel and Yumilka Ruiz–Luaces. They are new members of the Athletes’ Commission, to which they have been elected by their peers during the Beijing Games.

New Honorary Members
The Session also elected Roque Napoleón Muñoz Peña and Hein Verbruggen as honorary members.

Muñoz Peña has been an IOC member for 25 years, starting in 1983, and his term of office will expire at the end of 2008 due to the rules concerning age limits. He will become an honorary member from 1 January 2009 onwards. Hein Verbruggen, IOC member and Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, has resigned as an IOC member and will become an honorary member immediately. He will conduct the review of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Olympic Orders           
The Session decided to award Olympic Orders to Kai Holm and Youssoupha
Ndiaye whose IOC membership will expire by the end of 2008 due to the rules concerning age limits.

Emmanuelle Moreau - Media Relations Manager +86 158 1155 1830