¡¡¡¡HANOI, April 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Vietnam is intensifying preparation for the 22nd South East Asia (SEA) Games, which will be held here in 2003.

¡¡¡¡A 21-member organising board for the 22nd SEA Games, whose headis Vietnamese Chairman of the Committee for Sports and Physical Training Nguyen Danh Thai, has been established recently, according to a report of Vietnam News Agency on Friday.

¡¡¡¡The board will organise preparations and management of the 2003SEA Games, inspect the construction and upgrade of facilities for the event, and devise and implement training programmes.

¡¡¡¡A 40,000-seat central stadium is under construction in Hanoi for the 2003 SEA Games at a cost of 966 billion Vietnamese dong (VND) (64.4 million U.S. dollars). It will be completed before August 30, 2003.

¡¡¡¡The stadium, which will include a football field, an area for track-and-field events and other facilities, is part of the National Sports Complex, located on a 247-ha area in suburban district of Hanoi.

¡¡¡¡The country expects to welcome between 5,000 and 7,000 athletesto the 22nd SEA Games, the region's biggest sporting event. Enditem

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