World number one Roger Federer says he cannot stay in the Olympic village because of constant attention from other athletes. Federer, who will carry the Swiss flag in Friday's opening ceremony on his 27th birthday, showed his face in the village and was swamped by fellow athletes turning into fans demanding autographs. “It is impossible really, there are so many athletes asking for photos and so on. It is not ideal to prepare,” he told a news conference on Thursday. “I will go down once in a while to see the other Swiss athletes,” said Federer who stayed in the village at the last two Olympics and even met his girlfriend for the first time at the one in Sydney. “I have the option - I can go to the village or I can get away,” he added. The Swiss player said the difficulties of village life in Athens four years ago had stopped him from watching other events. “I hope to see more sports this time. In Sydney I saw some sports but in Athens, for some crazy reason, there was too much going on and I was unable to see any other sports. “I would like to see some athletics or basketball,” he added. “I know people expect more from me after the last five years but I can still save this season with this or the US Open and right now the focus is on the Olympics,” he said. Federer said winning an Olympic gold medal would be “right up there” with his 12 grand slam titles but would also provide extra flavor. “It is a bit different in that you are representing a country as well, which means a lot to me, being part of it is nice,” he said. ‘Home from home' Often when you go away, it can be comforting to find a little reminder of home when you arrive. That's certainly the case in the Athletes' Village at the Beijing Olympics with competitors and some delegation chiefs doing all they can to make themselves feel at ease as they get ready for the ‘greatest show on earth'. “We got here and found stuffed boxing kangaroos on all of our beds,” said Australian kayaker Chantal Meek on Wednesday. “I think that's what differentiates the Olympics from the World Championships and other competitions.” Meanwhile Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand are doing their bit to bring Kiwi culture to China. “There's only four million New Zealanders,” said team boss Dave Currie, who has two Maori totem poles guarding the entrance to his residence. “We want our athletes to feel that, even though they're over here, and it can be scary, everyone back home is right behind them.” He added: “We also want them to feel some of that warrior spirit that is integral to the Maori culture, which is why our torchbearer on Friday will wear a ‘Muka' (made from bird feathers) cloak.” Examples of American culture and commerce aren't hard to find in Beijing, with bottles of Coca Cola and McDonald's burgers particularly visible. But one of the more difficult delegations to find in the Village is the one from the United States. For a country often accused of brashness, the Americans are currently keeping a low profile. American swimming star Michael Phelps, bidding for a record eight gold medals at a single Games, was happy with his surroundings as he found them. “It's the nicest dorms I've been in. It's definitely better than the last two Olympics. The Village is cool ... there's little grassy areas, there are sculptures. It's a really neat environment.” In one part of the Village, banners below flags of the Rising Sun read “Fighting! Team Japan!” On the opposite side flags from Japan's former colony, South Korea, flutter in the wind above characters spelling the word ‘fighting'. “This makes me feel good,” said Japanese female saber fencer Madoka Hisagae, giggling. “It makes me want to fight harder.”But not everyone was happy. “We don't want to be seen to be encouraging countries to bring things,” said one Beijing Olympic Games Committee (BOCOG) employee, who declined to be named. “It makes the Village look a bit untidy and it's inconvenient.”
