On the morning of June 24, He Huixian, vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, announced that the Chinese sports delegation attending the Athens Olympic Games will hold its founding conference on July 13.

In a press briefing, Xiao Tian, vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee and assistant general director of the State General Administration of Sport (SGAS), announced the Chinese delegation's scale for taking part in the Athens Olympics Games.

So far, qualification contests for events of the Athens Olympic Games had basically finished, said Xiao Tian. Chinese athletes have attained the expected goal by wining qualifications for 200 small events and 26 big events.

The allowable number of Chinese athletes signing up for the Athens Olympic Games is 395. Since Chinese athletes are still hopeful of winning qualifications for the events of beach volleyball, track and field and tennis, the final number may reach 400.

According to the Olympic Games signing-up regulations and the number of Chinese participating athletes, the number of officials signing up for the Chinese delegation may exceed 220.

The Chinese delegation to the upcoming Athens Olympic Games will participate in all the events of competition to which China has obtained qualifications, including both big and minor items, which never occurred before. In previous Olympic Games, China's principle for forming the delegation was to first guarantee the events in which China was powerful. For those in which China lagged far behind the international average standard, it usually did not dispatch the full number of contestants even if with the "admission tickets" in hand.

This time, Chinese athletes are going to participate in matches of 26 big events, except baseball and horsemanship, which China didn't get the qualification. The aim is to obtain and gather experiences for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Complying with the plan, the total number of the Chinese delegation members to Athens will exceed 620.

Li Furong, vice chairman of the China Olympic Committee, estimated that it would be difficult for China to surpass Russia and the United States in the number of gold and other medals. China's major rival will be Germany if China wants to stand in the front rank of the second most powerful group. According to the current situation, there is no apparent gap in general power of the two countries, and it will be normal whoever wins more gold medals than the other. The determinate method for China to defeat Germany lies in the psychological elements of the Chinese contestants, who should be freed from all kinds of pressure, Li said.

Li also outlined six measures of the General Administration of Sports for the preparation of the Athens Olympic Games.

·Work out a systematic plan and be fully prepared for Athens Olympic Games.
·Establish relevant organizations to intensify leadership and service.
·Improve policies & regulations concerning the preparation work.  
·Mobilize the whole country in preparation work. 
·Give athletes intensified training and further researches on sport.
·Strengthen medical work, scientific service and censorship on cordial.

(China.org.cn June 25, 2004)