The environment still poses as a challenge to the Beijing Olympic organizers but they are working hard to keep their promises, said a senior International Olympic Committee official here on Thursday.

"Environment is a challenge for the organizers here," said Hein Verbruggen, chairman of the IOC coordination commission for the 29th Olympic Games.

But Verbruggen said the 12.3 billion US dollars budget for environmental work together with the efforts of the Beijing authorities and the Beijing Games organizers would ensure that there are not problems for the athletes.

"They work very hard... live up to their promises," he said. "We will make it absolutely sure that during the Games there are no problems for the athletes."

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2006)