But former IOC Director Michael Payne said such pre-Olympic jitters were only to be expected, and were common in host countries prior to the opening ceremony.

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"You have a long list of sports trying to get onto the program because it is their one way to showcase their sport to the world, " explains former IOC marketing director Michael Payne.

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The challenge for London was, "What's going to be the 'wow factor, '" said Michael Payne, the former marketing director of the International Olympic Committee and chairman of the international division of Crystal CG, a Beijing-based company that made the people-pixel graphics.

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CNN's Hada Messia, Ed Payne and Michael Pearson and journalist Livia Borghese also contributed to this report.

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"Michael was undergoing personal cosmetic procedures, so he could feel great and do a good job, " Payne said.

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