Host China will send its largest delegation to the upcoming 12th Special Olympics Summer World Games in Shanghai from October 2-11.

The squad includes 1,713 athletes and coaches from 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country. They will participate in all of the 21 sports and four demonstration events.

Special Olympics athletes should be at least eight years old, have an IQ lower than 70 and take part in sports activities no less than eight weeks a year.

The athletes in the delegation have been selected according to their performance at the recent National Special Olympic Games.

"It's all about participation not competition. We want athletes from different backgrounds to attend their biggest festival in Shanghai," Special Olympics China President Wang Zhijun said.

Since 1987, China has sent delegations to summer and winter Special Olympics World Games. The size of the Chinese delegation has increased at each event.

"We are trying to introduce more sports to Chinese Special Olympics athletes, such as equestrianism, softball, sailing and cricket," Zhao Sujing, deputy director of the Chinese delegation, said.

China has about 10 million people with intellectual disabilities.

In 28 major cities around the country, some 5,000 Special Olympics communities have been set up involving 600,000 athletes.

In 2002, Shanghai won the bid to host the 2007 Games, making China the first Asian country and the first developing nation to host them. They are set to attract more than 10,000 athletes and coaches from 160 countries and regions.

Many athletes and their families will also get the chance to stay with Chinese families in 12 cities.

(China Daily September 22, 2007)