FIG official: No surprise to see Olympic test event successful

BEIJING, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- For Andre Gueisbuhler, the secretary general of FIG, the governing body of international gymnastics, said here Thursday that there was no surprise to see the Olympic test of gymnastics a great success.

"I have been working for the BOCOG for four years already, so for me the success of the Olympic test event does not come as a surprise at all," said Gueisbuhler at the sideline of the Rhythmic Gymnastics International Invitational.

"The FIG is lucky to have a very professional team in China who are working for the Olympics. What do you need to make a dream come true?

"You need a professional team, you have that. We need wonderful volunteers, that you have and wonderful venues, you have that too," added the Swiss.

"The National Indoor Stadium is especially built for gymnastics. I am very much impressed by the wonderful stadium and the newest technology which has a sense of ecology and environment."

Slava Corn, the vice president of FIG, underlined the supportive role of volunteers.

"To be a volunteer requires a certain passion. If you do not have that passion you do not have the patience to do the job well," said Corn.

"We can't organize sports event anywhere in the world without volunteers to assist us and somehow each volunteer must feel that have made a contribution for the success of athletes.

"My advice would be to take cheerleaders and get your volunteers motivated and feel very important, because the job is very very important.

"I remember at one gymnastics world championships that when the competition finished, every volunteer put on a new shirt and it says 'we did it'."