SPORTS> Feature and Column
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SPORTS> Feature and Column
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Olympics-He nears fulfillment of life's work
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-08-09 10:48 Beijing's bid to stage the 2000 Olympics failed by two votes at Monte Carlo in 1993, which He put down to political interference from the West, Sydney's superior infrastructure and corruption. Lessons were learned, however, and by the time He came to present Beijing's next bid at Moscow in 2001, he was very confident. "On my way to Moscow, I was almost sure," he said. "I could feel the general feeling of IOC members was that it was time for Beijing." He is clear on what he wants the 2008 Games to leave behind for the people of China. "There will be a material legacy ... but I value more the mental and spiritual legacy," he said. "For me, the Olympic spirit is to use sport as a means to develop people mentally and physically, especially the youth, and to build a society which respects human dignity," he said.
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