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BEIJING - CHINESE Olympic organisers are rushing to renovate bathrooms at flagship Olympic venues after complaints about a lack of western-style sit-down toilets, an official said.
The problem emerged during a series of test events conducted over the past several months to determine whether venues were ready to stage the Games, said Mr Yao Hui, deputy head of the organising committee's venue management department.
Some 500,000 overseas visitors are expected in Beijing during the August 8-24 Games but the only toilets available for the public and the media at many top venues like the National Aquatic Centre, known as the Water Cube, are squat toilets that are widespread in China but unfamiliar to westerners.
'After more than 30 test events, a lot of parties have raised the question of toilets,' Mr Yao told journalists on Wednesday.
'We have told the venues to improve on this, to increase the seated toilets.'
'Most Chinese people are used to the squat toilets,' said Mr Yao. 'But nowadays more and more people are demanding seated toilets.'
He said bathroom renovation was already under way at the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, where the opening and closing ceremonies for the Games are scheduled to take place, as well as at other key venues.
'The bathrooms there... should all have seated toilets,' said Mr Yao. 'The percentage will depend on the situation of each venue. We are doing our best to improve on the current circumstances.' -- AFP
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