Olympics-Beijing ready to deliver safe and outstanding Games-IOC

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Beijing Olympics, officially opening on Friday, will be safe and outstanding while also ushering in a new era for global winter sports, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said on Thursday.

The Chinese capital will become the first city to host both summer and winter editions of the Olympics, while organisers have pledged to bring winter sports to some 300 million people in the country.

"Thanks to the excellent work of the organising committee everything is in place for safe and outstanding winter Games," Bach told the IOC session.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Sam Holmes)