Olympics: NZ games boss checks out Beijing

Olympic Games chef de mission Dave Currie is accompanying the Tall Blacks on their basketball tour of China to begin reconnaissance for the 2008 Beijing Games.

His first impression of the Chinese capital has been favourable.

"As modern cities go, it is certainly up there with other modern cities around the world," he says.

"It's well-organised, clean and everyone is just keen to help.

"People are thinking about the Olympics already and they're proud to have them here. What impresses me most, as someone who is into trees, is the amount of new planting they have done -- they are clearly trying to do something about the environment."

Currie attended several basketball matches, both men's and women's, at Athens last year and now fills the role of head of delegation for the Tall Blacks on this trip.

The Tall Blacks play China, Lithuania and a US All Stars team over the next week.

"I was coming up in late July anyway as part of the pre-planning for the Beijing Olympics," he said.

"It seemed a good idea to spend some time with the team, to continue to get a clear understanding of the sport and its culture.

"I'm not just here to talk to Olympic organisers but also to travel a bit in China -- if you don't live it, you can't talk to people about it."

Currie got a good glimpse of that when the Tall Blacks travelled from Hong Kong to Beijing and back south again on their way to Jinjiang.

One issue Currie hopes to get his head around during his visit is the haze that often envelops Beijing.

Is it smog or merely dust?

"I went for a half-hour walk this morning and it didn't affect my eyes or throat the way smog has in the past. I have a concern, but the games are three years away and I'm sure the government will be doing every thing in its power about it."

Meanwhile, it seems NBA superstar Yao Ming will not take the court for China against New Zealand in the series opener on Friday as he recovers from ankle surgery.

The American All-Star combination consisting of players who have mainly played professionally in Europe and Lithuania are missing several of their top players, but still look powerful.

- NZPA