The Health Legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games 奥运会的健康遗产 EDITED BY: Jin Dapeng Arne Ljungqvist 2008 Hans Troedsson 成功和建议 The Health Legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games The Health Legacy of the 2008 Successes and Recommendations Beijing Olympic Games Successes and Recommendations The Health Legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Successes and Recommendations EDITED BY: Jin Dapeng (Beijing Municipal Health Bureau) Arne Ljungqvist ( International Olympic Committee) Hans Troedsson (WHO Western Pacific Region) WHO Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Special Recognition The health legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games : successes and recommendations / We wish to express our appreciation to Mr. Wang Wei, who as Executive Vice-President of the edited by Jin Dapeng, Arne Ljungqvist, Hans Troedsson Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games from 2002 to 2008, provided immense 1. Sports. 2. Olympic games. 3. Doping in sports — prevention and control. support to the preparation of this monograph. I. Dapeng, Jin. II. Ljungqvist, Arne. III. Troedsson, Hans. ISBN 978 92 9061 459 3 (NLM Classification: QT 260) Acknowledgments © World Health Organization 2010 Our gratitude and appreciation go to all the editorial advisory team members for the many hours they devoted to this publication. In alphabetical order they are Bao Hua, Gauden Galea, Gao Xing, Li Libing, Liang Dongming, Liang Wannian, Brian Oldenburg, Thomson Prentice, All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization can be obtained from WHO Ren Minghui, Terrence Thompson, Cris Tunon, Xing Jun, Zhen Xiaozhen and Zhu Xiaowan. Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: [email protected]). Requests for permission to We would also like to express our thanks to Jenny Hong, Jiao Guangyuan, Li Chunyu, Li reproduce or translate WHO publications – whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution Keke, Lin Changying, Liu Yaoyao, Nicola Scott, Wang Rong, Wang Ying and Zhen Anjie, each – should be addressed to WHO Press, at the above address (fax: +41 22 791 4806; e-mail: per- of whom contributed voluntarily. [email protected]). For WHO Western Pacific Regional Publications, request for permission to reproduce should be addressed to the Publications Office, World Health Organization, Regional Individual staff at the World Health Organization China Office provided excellent secretarial Office for the Western Pacific, P.O. Box 2932, 1000, Manila, Philippines, Fax. No. (632) 521- and administrative support. They are Fu Xijuan, Huang Qing, Liu Xijuan, Vivian Tan and Yuan 1036, email: [email protected] Boyong. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply We also thank Tian Jin University translation team. We also express our great appreciation to the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization con- Thomson Prentice for editing the final text. The book was designed by Feng Xiaobing. cerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate bor- Many thanks to project manager Zhen Xiaozhen. der lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of propri- etary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed Jin Dapeng, Arne Ljungqvist, Hans Troedsson without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpreta- tion and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use. The named authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this publication. The Olympic Games in Beijing turned out to be truly exceptional. The Games became a great success not only for the host city and country, but also for all the visitors and, most importantly, the athletes. The Games also offered a unique opportunity to leave a lasting legacy to the ben- efit of the population in and around Beijing. The legacy included improved overall living condi- tions as a consequence of the particular measures that were taken by the Beijing authorities in terms of improving infrastructure; the introduction of traffic regulations and a smoking ban; and also the promotion of healthy lifestyles, just to mention a few. Since some of those measures will remain and the awareness of healthy lifestyles has been promoted, there is no doubt that the Games will leave a lasting legacy which will be positive for the health of the Beijing popu- lation. The IOC is extremely pleased by the initiative that was taken jointly by the parties involved in the Beijing Games to have the “Health Legacy of the Beijing Games” documented in this book. The IOC is particularly satisfied that the World Health Organization has decided to publish the book so that the experience of the Beijing Games can be made available to a worldwide Preface audience and thereby be a useful source of information for organizers of future mass gathering events. Dr Jacques Rogge President, International Olympics Committee The successful Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games of 2008 have left the citizens of Bei- jing and China with many benefits of great worth, amounting to a combination of both material and spiritual wealth. The contribution of the medical and health services constitute an important component of the overall Olympic legacy. In the course of preparing and hosting the Games, the medical and health workers in the capital city worked remarkably well. They ensured public health security, offered high-standard medi- cal and health services, saved lives and in particular provided special medical support to the opening and closing ceremonies of both games. They won high praise for their superb skills and outstanding performances. I would like to seize this occasion to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of them who made important contributions to the success of these games. Medical and health services are a great vocation that is dedicated to the wellbeing of the people. In the new stage of our national development, we should cherish the valuable experience gained in the Olympic medical and health services. It should encourage us to emphasize the human factor, highlight public health services, deepen the reforms of systems and mechanisms, and intensify the construction of grass-roots medical and health institutions. By popularizing health knowledge as we have done, by participating more in health activities, providing improved health security and further extending healthy life, we shall offer better health services to the people. Preface Mr Liu Qi Politburo member, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, BOCOG President, Beijing, China The Beijing Olympic Games have been widely praised for the spectacular sporting facilities and venues, the impressive application of information technology, the large number of Olympic and world records broken, and the enthusiastic support that the Games received from the population in the host cities and throughout China. But the Beijing Games also have significance for the international public health community, because they were accompanied by some innovative measures to protect the health of visitors and the local population. From the very start, these Games were promoted as the “Green Olym- pics”. The holding of this mass event in seven Chinese cities also generated important policy decisions and actions to address key public health issues, including surveillance and response to health emergencies, tobacco control and food safety. At the invitation of China’s Ministry of Health, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games and the Beijing Municipal and Health authorities, WHO was pleased to support these efforts to promote health and safeguard public health during the Olympics. We are also honoured to be able to participate in the preparation of this volume that highlights the positive medium-and longer-term effects of the public health initiatives inspired by the Games. In documenting this public health legacy, WHO worked in partnership with the Inter- national Olympic Committee and with scientists, academics and programme managers from a variety of Chinese and international agencies associated with public health and the Olympic movement. Preface The findings recorded in this book provide an encouraging but balanced assessment of a criti- cal question. This is: will the momentum sparked by the numerous initiatives and projects for health services, transportation, environment and health promotion be sustained, and continue to yield benefits in the future? We believe that this publication can serve as an instructive example of how mass events can be organized to promote health in a value-added way, bringing both immediate and longer-term benefits for the health of many. Dr Margaret Chan Director-General, World Health Organization Geneva, Switzerland The Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games captured the attention of the world. With the two Games of equal splendour, China fulfilled its commitment to the international community, and has added what we believe is a successful new chapter to the annals of the Olympic history. Olympic-related health-care operations, sustained by the entire public health sector, particularly the devoted personnel working in Beijing and the co-host cities, went smoothly with great effi- ciency and effectiveness, guaranteeing high-quality events to the satisfaction of the athletes, the people of China and the wider world. Such health-care initiatives have benefited health in general in Beijing and the co-host cities.