The Olympic Games of Beijing 2008 will be the best in history, said the President of the Uruguayan Olympic Committee Julio C. Maglione.

"The Olympic Games of Athens were the best, but I don't doubt those of Beijing will surpass what has been done by now," Maglionewas quoted Monday by Uruguayan weekly magazine "Cronicas".

The 28 billion dollars invested in the sports competition of the 2008 Olympics shows Beijing's effort to raise the quality of the games, he said.

"These 28 billion dollars include a 50-percent increase in marketing from the previous games, because the companies are more and more interested in investing in television," he said.

"We're all going to benefit from this," he added.

As for the medal table of the Athens Olympiad, Maglione considered the sports map of the planet "started to shift, and letus see what happens in Beijing, where it is possible China displace the United States. Meanwhile, this has been already indicated in Athens."

The United States topped the Athens Olympics medals tally with 35 gold among the 103 medals they obtained, followed by China and Russia, with 32 and 27 golds respectively.

Russia got the second most medals of 92 while China were third with 63.

The Uruguayan sports official reaffirmed the need to defend the values of peace and the Olympic truce signed by the participating countries and regions at the United Nations prior to the competitions.

To Maglione, the Athens Olympiad showed once again the need to undergo a change in the physical-education programs at school, so as to create a true awareness of the importance and need for sports.

"I'm convinced that the educational values provided by sports are exceptional. Fair game, respect for referees and coaches. All this then extends to the life of the human being," he said.

Source: Xinhua