The organization of the Olympic Games was "excellent" and Dutch athletes were "very satisfied" with all the facilities provided by the hosts, Dutch State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport Jet Bussemaker told Xinhua in a written interview on Friday.

On the eve of her departure for Beijing, Bussemaker said that she is confident that the Paralympics will be as much successful as the Olympic Games.

Bussemaker visited China in February this year as preparation for the Olympics and Paralympics, and in August she attended the Olympic opening ceremony and watched the Dutch athletes in action. It would be her third visit to China this year when she arrives in Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympics on Saturday.

Bussemaker said she was very impressed by the beautiful sport complexes and the cleanness of the Chinese capital, as well as the "extremely helpful volunteers."

"It was absolutely great to see in which way both visitors and athletes were received and treated by the Chinese people," she said.

The Olympic Village, in her opinion, is "one of the most beautiful Olympic Villages ever."

"The transportation was organized very well and training possibilities for the athletes were fantastic," she added.

The state secretary expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Dutch Olympians, who won 16 medals including seven gold and was ranked 12th in the medal table.

She was particularly glad that many of the Dutch medals were won by female athletes, such as the women hockey and water polo players.

Bussemaker said the Dutch government supports the goal of the Dutch sports world to be one of the top ten sports countries in the world. "The efforts of the authorities and the Dutch athletes will be directed to this goal in the coming years," she said.

Bussemaker said the Netherlands is considering what it takes to bring the Olympic Games to the country in 2028, exactly a century after Amsterdam hosted the 1928 Olympics.

"Organizing the Olympic Games would be a great stimulus for the sport policy and the athletes in the Netherlands," she said.

Speaking about the Paralympics, Bussemaker said these games are very important because they focus on what disabled people can do instead of what they can't do. The athletes can become role models and this contributs to the full and equal inclusion and participation in the society.

"Sport can be used as a tool to empower," she said.

In the Netherlands, sport for people with a disability is integrated in the elite sport and sport for all. Able-bodied and disabled sports people have the same access to sport programs and facilities, Bussemaker said.

The Dutch government is trying to get more disabled people involved in sport, and to improve the performance of disabled athletes at top-level tournaments such as World Championships and the Paralympics.

The state secretary said she is in favor of both disabled and able-bodied players attending the same clubs or even taking part in the same competitions.

Bussemaker said that during her visit to the Olympics, it was clear that for China the Paralympics are as much important as the Olympics.

"I am sure the Paralympics will be as much successful as the Olympic Games," she said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2008)