equestrian venue handed over to Olympic organizers
HONG KONG - Organizers of this year's Olympic equestrian events at the Sha Tin race course took charge of the US$150 million venue Monday from the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The venue has undergone a two-year construction project that included creating a floodlit main arena with seating for 18,000 spectators, an equine hospital and air-conditioned stables and training areas.
"We feel it is money well spent because it has been invested in Hong Kong's Olympic history," jockey club deputy chairman Brian Stevenson said.
Hong Kong is hosting the Beijing Games' equestrian events because quarantine rules on mainland China do not meet international standards.
"Not only was the venue completed within such a short time, but it is also the best equestrian venue ever built," Hong Kong Olympic committee president Timothy Fok said.
The club's testing laboratory will be the first to offer onsite doping tests at an Olympic equestrian venue. Up to 60 tests will be made during the Aug. 9-21 program.
The sport is eager to restore its reputation after a troubled Athens games in 2004 when three gold medalists were stripped of their titles for doping offenses or breaking rules.
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