Sports official: Olympics will showcase China's social progress

(BEIJING, April 11) -- Cui Dalin, the deputy director of the General Administration of Sport (GASC), said on Friday that the Chinese sports delegation, consisting of more than 580 athletes, would take part in all 28 sports at the Beijing Olympic Games.

This equates to more athletes representing China at the Olympics than ever before.

A total of 538 athletes have so far booked spots in 226 events across 27 sports at the Games, he said while attending a press briefing.

He continued to say that Chinese athlete Liu Lina, a Russian race athlete from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has gained entry tickets in the event of equestrian dressage.

This was confirmed in a letter from the Dressage Committee of International Equestrian Federation to the Chinese Equestrian Association (CEA).

Liu's entry marks an end to the Chinese equestrian team's absence in the Olympic Games.

The official played down China's gold medal prospects at the Olympic Games.

China still lags behind other foreign athletes in swimming and athletics; some of China's competitive events face risks of being overtaken; and China has not had stable performance in less competitive and weaker events, he said.

"Chinese athletes will compete on home turf for the first time. They will be faced with a totally new competition environment and uNPRecedented difficulties," he said.

He said having good results at the Olympic Games is just one of China's goals. As the host, China is willing to promote communication and friendship by preparing and hosting a successful Olympic games and make use of the Games to showcase China's social progress and sports development.