Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Juan Antonio Samaranch said sports were playing an ever bigger role in today's life.

Sports formed not only an element of a country's prestige, but also an important part of children's growth and education, he said on Thursday.

He said the Beijing Olympics were the "most fantastic" Olympic Games he'd ever seen, and he was deeply impressed with the opening ceremony and the athletes' performances.

Samaranch made the remarks while attending a donation ceremony of the La Caixa Savings Bank of Spain to China's quake-hit Sichuan Province.

Spanish Minister of Education, Social Policy and Sports Mercedes Cabrera Calvo-Sotelo, who was also present at the ceremony, said Madrid was bidding for the 2016 Olympic Games and the city could learn a lot from Beijing's bidding, preparations and organizing process.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2008)