体坛英语新闻：Abandoned drapes turn out useful in "frugal" National Games

SHENYANG, Northeast China, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Royal blue velvet table cloth matched well with the blue background of Shenyang University stadium, judo venue for the Chinese National Games.

It hardly can be imagined a few months ago, so many pieces of table cloth were just a pile of abandoned window drapes from the university's library.

"It came to us that these drapes could be reused in the stadium for the national games, which saved some money," said Su Zonghai, a government sport official who oversees the venue preparation.

All the TV sets, computers, xerox machines and printers for reporters and technical officials were borrowed from the university.

Even small desks for coaches beside the court came directly from the classroom.

"Usually you have to spend over 100 yuan each on these desks for coaches who sit at the courtside and give directions to their athletes during competition, but now covering a student desk with boards, you get a new coach' s desk," Su said.

"And it only cost 20 yuan," he said.

"It is not big money, but you save a lot after you add them together," he added.

Su is following a new frugal style in organizing China's all-important quadrennial sports meet that had turned into a spending competition among host provinces and was curbed by a government campaign to rein in public spending.

Cost-cutting on the 12th games, to be held Aug. 31-Sept. 12 in the northeastern province of Liaoning, is huge as the expenditure will be kept to a maximum of 800 million yuan (130 million U.S. dollars), a 78 percent down from the original budget.

The number of competition and training venues is reduced from 129 to 117. Shenyang University stadium is among 10 newly constructed stadiums and will not become a financial burden after the games.

"The stadium will be mainly used by students. The university also plans to host basketball and volleyball games, concerts and open to the public," said Su.

"Every penny has to be well spent," he said.

The opening ceremony will be the first one since 1987 to be held during daylight hours in order to save for lighting and fireworks.

The budget for the opening and closing ceremonies was slashed by 90 percent to nine million yuan (1.47 million dollars).

Besides, non-competition related conferences, exhibitions, and awards were canceled.

The number of invited foreign guests will be reduced by half, with neither welcome banquets nor souvenirs for them.