Paralympics　ready　to　roll　in　1　year

 BEIJING,　Sept.　6　-　A　year　from　today　the　Beijing　Paralympics　will　begin　and　senior　officials　from　the　International　Paralympic　Committee　(IPC)　are　pleased　so　far　with　preparations.　
　"Things　are　going　very　well.　I　mean,　we　are　one　year　out,　but　where　we　want　to　be,"　IPC　Chief　Executive　Officer　Xavier　Gonzalez　said　yesterday.　
　"The　final　year　is　the　most　important　because　all　the　details　and　operations　start　to　fall　into　place.　We　are　very　satisfied."　
　He　said　he　was　confident　concerns　over　traffic　would　be　met.　
　"Beijing　has　a　lot　of　traffic.　That's　a　challenge　always.　But　the　BOCOG　(Beijing　Olympic　organizing　committee)　is　planning　to　ensure　transportation　between　facilities　and　venues　is　as　smooth　as　possible,"　he　said.　
　Gonzalez　is　attending　the　Chiefs　de　Mission　seminar　for　the　Paralympics.　The　three-day　seminar　will　conclude　tomorrow.　
　The　Beijing　organizing　committee　will　brief　the　national　and　regional　Paralympic　committees　on　readiness　for　the　Paralympics,　listen　to　their　needs　and　seek　suggestions　for　improvements.　
　Gonzalez　said　the　BOCOG　had　already　created　many　firsts　in　its　preparations　for　the　2008　Paralympics.　
　"The　BOCOG　is　the　first　organizing　committee　to　prepare　and　hold　both　the　Olympics　and　Paralympics　under　a　framework　agreement　between　the　International　Olympic　Committee　and　IPC.　
　"And,　for　the　first　time,　a　certain　quota　of　participants　at　the　Beijing　Paralympics　will　be　granted　a　free　international　trip　to　Beijing,"　Gonzalez　said.　
　The　Paralympics　will　be　held　from　Sept.　6　to　Sept.　17,　featuring　471　events　across　20　disciplines.　
　Also　yesterday,　Beijing　officials　said　the　city　will　meet　requirements　for　a　"barrier-free　environment"　providing　disabled　access.　
　Cao　Yuejin,　a　commission　member　of　the　Beijing　municipal　commission　of　urban　planning,　said　the　city　had　been　working　for　22　years　to　achieve　this　target.　
　Barrier-free　construction　is　ongoing　and　includes　upgrading　projects　at　Olympic　venues,　surrounding　areas,　roads,　traffic　areas,　scenic　spots,　shopping　malls,　hospitals,　post　offices,　schools,　parks,　airports,　railway　stations　and　social　welfare　facilities.　
　It　is　estimated　more　than　4,000　disabled　athletes　will　attend　the　2008　Paralympics　and　half　of　them　will　be　in　wheelchairs.