Games Organisers Defend Girl ‘substitution’

A senior official from the organising committee for the Beijing Olympics has defended the decision to substitute a young girl for a more ‘suitable’ replacement during last week’s opening ceremony.

Nine-year old Lin Miaoke’s performance was one of the standout moments of the spectacular ceremony, but it was later revealed she was miming to a song voiced by another girl, Yang Peiyi, who was deemed not attractive enough to appear.

Replying to widespread media reports on the situation, Wang Wei, executive vice-president of the Beijing Games organising committee (BOCOG), said the last-minute decision to substitute nine-year-old Miaoke for seven-year-old Peiyi had been taken jointly ‘by the group of directors’.

He stated: ‘I don’t see anything wrong with it, if everybody concerned agrees. Together they are discussing with the broadcasters. They are to achieve the most theatric effects for the benefit of the whole performance, the whole opening ceremony.’

The show’s musical director, Chen Qigang, told Beijing Radio that Peiyi was pulled from the show at the last moment, after a senior Politburo member said she did not look the part.

Speculation regarding the freedom of speech in reporting from the Games has also clouded the issue after it emerged that references to the story had been removed from a number of major news websites.

Chinese media and websites are policed by the central government, which has frequently censored access to content deemed unflattering or counter to the national interest.

This incident is one of a handful of stories that have dogged Olympic organizers in the opening weeks.

In another disclosure, it was revealed that parts of the footage of the opening ceremony fireworks were pre-produced.

Organisers have also been trying to explain why so many empty seats have been visible at reportedly sold-out events.