IOC's Verbruggen in awe of Beijing Games preparations

By Karolos Grohmann

ATHENS (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee praised Beijing Games organizers on Wednesday for setting the scene for what promised to be a successful Games and a senior official said it might even seem over-organized.

"For our (western) taste it may be a bit too over-organized but that is in their culture," Hein Verbruggen, the IOC's chief inspector for the Beijing Games, told an international sports conference. "They do not want any surprises."

Verbruggen said all the venues were spectacular and Beijing would be a hard act to follow for London, which will stage the 2012 Olympics.

"I don't know if there are any people from London here but they will have a challenge," Verbruggen said. "The venues will be spectacular."

Verbruggen also praised the growing enthusiasm within China for the Games and said the Chinese were frustrated with western attacks over Beijing's policy in Tibet, Sudan and its human rights record.

Pro-Tibet and human rights demonstrations accompanied the international leg of the Beijing torch relay earlier this year.

"Only gradually, progressively, I have learned how much the population is behind it. The enthusiasm for the Games at the level of the population is phenomenal," Verbruggen said.

He said the Chinese did not understand why their country was criticized, especially by western media.