Farewell event for Chinese "Olympic father" held in Beijing

BEIJING, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese athletes, sports officials as well as some ordinary people gathered Saturday morning to bid farewell to He Zhenliang, a former IOC member and vice president who was instrumental in Beijing winning the 2008 Summer Olympics.

He, 85, died of illness on Jan. 4 in Beijing.

The memorial meeting, held at the Babaoshan funeral service center in west Beijing, started at 10 a.m. and lasted for about one hour. It was also attended by IOC President Thomas Bach's wife Claudia, IOC executive board member Wu Ching-kuo, IOC member Timothy Tsun Ting Fok and former IOC member Kevan Gosper. On behalf of IOC President Bach, Fok extended condolence to He's family and relatives before the memorial started.

IOC President Bach had asked for the Olympic flag to be flown half-mast for three days in tribute to He.

"Mr. He was a man of culture and art," said Bach. "He was a true advocate of the social values of sport and of our movement. ... He also helped our movement better understand his country, its people and outstanding culture. The Olympic movement has lost one of its most fervent ambassadors."

Known by the nickname "Mr. Olympics" in China, He was elected to the International Olympic Committee in 1981 and became vice president in 1989, remaining in the position for four years.

He was best known for his role in helping Beijing land the 2008 Olympics after the city unsuccessfully bid for the games eight years earlier. He was part of the presentation team at the IOC session in Moscow in 2001 where Beijing was awarded the games and served on the organizing committee's executive board. 

Original title by people.cn: Chinese bid farewell to late IOC member He Zhenliang