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Russians Athletes Settling into Beijing
The Russian flag has been raised over the main square of the Beijing Olympic village with the mayor of the village, vice chairman of the People’s Congress Chen Zhili, head of the Russian Olympic Committee Leonid Tyagachev, head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Vasin, Russian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Sergey Razov and Russian athletes in attendance. “I have the honor of greeting you in the name of the Chinese people in your home in this village,” Chen said. “We are happy to greet you, dear friends.” She spoke the last words in Russian. She also wished them luck and promised to do everything possible so that they ate well, relaxed well and performed well.
The Russian mascot Cheburashka – a figure from Soviet animation – is red this year, and the athletes’ outfits are white suits. The suits were designed by the BoscoSport company, which is equipping the Russian team for the fourth Games in a row. “It’s those outfits the athletes will receive their awards in,” noted Russian Bosco Club spokesman Olga Yudkis. The club will open in Beijing August 7. Russian athletes are still pouring into Beijing. Russia has the third largest team at the Olympics, after the Chinese and Americans.
The Russian team is being housed in four building not far from the main Games facilities. A total of 16,000 athletes and delegation members will live in the Olympic village, which has been equipped with all the infrastructure of a normal city. There are store, restaurants, cafes, dry cleaners, movie theaters and even a Center of World Religions, which adherents of various faiths can attend. The 29th Summer Olympics last from August 8 to 24.
www.kommersant.com
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