BEIJING, 9 June 2004 — Runners carried the Olympic torch along the Great Wall of China near Beijing yesterday on the latest leg of a route from Sydney to the opening ceremony of the Athens Games on Aug. 13.
The main Olympic torch parade in Beijing will start early today, with NBA basketball star Yao Ming scheduled to carry it on the final stretch of a 50-kilometer route.
At the end of the parade, Yao will ignite the flame in a cauldron to mark the start of a large-scale ceremony at Beijing’s Summer Palace.
The Olympic flame is on a whirlwind tour of 27 countries that will take in 34 cities and involve thousands of runners.
Yesterday, it was taken to the ancient Mutianyu section of Great Wall near the Chinese capital. A gala show, including Peking opera and classical music, was held at the Great Wall to herald the arrival of the Olympic flame.
Beijing is the host of the 2008 Olympics.
Hotelier Sees No Room
Shortage During Games
Thousands of people expected in Athens for the Olympic Games this summer should all find a place to stay in spite of a government decision to revoke licenses at 16 city hotels, a leading hotelier said yesterday.
George Tsakiris, president of the Athens Hotel Association, told Reuters that the decision by state-run tourism body EOT to revoke the licenses for such infractions as missing fire safety certificates and expired permits, would not create an accommodation problem during the Aug. 13 to 29 Games.
“There is no problem with accommodation for Olympic visitors. As far as I know, the hotels in Athens singled out by EOT are either closed for renovation or have been closed for years,” he said.
A few of the hotels have changed hands and the new owners would need to get new licenses in any case, he added.
The association represents about 300 hotels in Athens.
