The Olympic village, which will house 16,000 athletes and officials during next month's Beijing Games, was officially opened by its mayor Chen Zhili on Sunday morning.
Chen, a senior Communist Party official, was handed the key to the heavily-guarded compound by Beijing Olympic chief Liu Qi during a ceremony held under skies still grey with the pollution that China has promised to clear in time for the Aug. 8-24 Games.
"The Olympic village has prepared everything and we warmly welcome the athletes, officials and journalists from all nations and regions to live here," said Chen, who is also a vice president of the organising committee (BOCOG).
Text: Reuters | Photographs: AFP/Getty Images
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