CRI听力：Paralympic Organizers Endeavor to Create Barrier-free Environment for Athletes

Preparations for the Beijing Paralympics are hitting full stride at present. Olympic banners and logos across Beijing are being replaced by heralds of the Paralympics.

The organizers say that they have contributed more efforts, trying to create a physically and mentally barrier-free Games for the Paralypians in China.

CRI Reporter Chen Xi has the details.

Reporter:

Only a few days to go before the start of the Paralympics in Beijing, the local sports organizers say that all the facilities have been transferred to the barrier-free use for the athletes and officials from around the world.

Liu Henian, a senior Paralympics official, explained the convenient changes for the physically-challenged athletes.

"We all see the medal podium for the Olympics. But considering some disabled athletes may use wheelchairs. We have made some alterations, as the flat podium is much wider and a ramp has been added behind each of them. It's very easy to roll up from there."

This is only one of the tiny changes made by the Beijing Paralympic organizers.

According to the official, other barrier-free facilities have been installed during the short period between the Olympics and Paralympics.

New gears have been put in place for the convenience of the Paralympians, such as barrier-free elevators, washing rooms and shuttle buses.

All the enclosures in the mixed zones also have also been lowered to 60 centimeters, creating a sound environment for the athletes and the media.

In addition, the Chinese Paralympic organizers have also cast their eyes to generate a barrier-free psychological surroundings from the medical perspective during the upcoming Games.

Fang Qiuhong is one of the doctor-volunteers from a reputed hospital in Beijing.

"I think the namely barrier-free environment is also important in psychology. It means we should treat the physically-challenged people equally, because, in fact, they are very healthy in mentality. In addition, we have also received trainings, hoping to help more people."(Www.hxen.net)

In addition, the Paralympic Village, transformed from the Olympic Village, will also play host to more than 7,000 athletes and officials from 148 countries and regions.