POSTED: Tuesday July 21st 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HEIN VERBRUGGEN, SPORTACCORD/GAISF PRESIDENT, RECEIVED THE HONORARY CITIZENSHIP OF THE CITY OF BEIJING

The highest award conferred from the Beijing Municipal Government to a foreigner

On 13th July 2009, exactly 8 years after the success of the Beijing’s bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games (13th July, 2001), SportAccord/GAISF President Mr. Hein VERBRUGGEN was awarded, in the Chinese capital, the Honorary Citizenship of the City of Beijing. This honour is the highest award conferred from the Beijing Municipal Government to a foreigner. Since 1983, only 24 people have received this title.

During his visit to Beijing, President VERBRUGGEN was received by LIU Qi, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, followed by an official meeting with Mayor GUO Jinlong of the Beijing Municipal Government.

President VERBRUGGEN received from the hands of Mayor GUO the Honorary Citizenship certificate, the medal and the golden key of Beijing. Henceforth a “Beijing citizen”, VERBRUGGEN said: “This is a real honour, which will allow me to make of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games an unforgettable and everlasting memory”.

As Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Evaluation and Coordination Commissions, Hein VERBRUGGEN received the International Olympic Committee’s recognition for his years of efforts to lead, in collaboration with the Beijing Organising Committee, this complex project for the Games.

During the meetings with the highest officials of Beijing, both Secretary LIU and Mayor GUO gave a brief presentation on Beijing’s recent developments and on the Olympic legacy achievements. President VERBRUGGEN was also pleased to be able to work again with Beijing for the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games, for which Beijing Municipal Government will render its full support, said Secretary LIU.
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For further information, please contact sportaccord@sportaccord.com

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Keywords · Beijing 2008 · BOCOG · Hein Verbruggen · SportAccord/GAISF

Name: Jay Stuart
Organization: SportAccord
Email:
Phone: +41 (0)21 601 75 97
URL: http://sportaccord.com/

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