BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The deadline for overseas athletes of Chinese heritage to apply for participation in the 2017 Chinese National Games is 24:00 July 31 Beijing time, China's sports governing body announced here on Monday.
China's State General Administration of Sport (SGAS) rolled out an unprecedented reform on June 14 as it invited athletes from the Chinese diaspora to compete in the upcoming Chinese National Games in Tianjin.
Chinese who have obtained foreign citizenship, foreign decedents of Chinese immigrants and Chinese citizens who are residing abroad are eligible to apply for participation in the 13th Chinese National Games, which will be held from Aug. 27 to Sept. 8.
The Games organizers will set up a special committee to check the eligibility of the applicants when the door closes on July 31, said SGAS on its website.
An individual athlete under the age of 18 is supposed to compete in Tianjin accompanied by a guardian, who will be listed as an official, said SGAS.
The 18-year-old or even younger athlete who comes to China alone will have to submit to the Games organizers a notarial deed and an authorization letter both signed by his or her guardian, added SGAS.
SGAS also announced the quotas of officials for various events - one official for an individual event, two for a two-or-more-people event, five officials at most for a ballgame event.
Airport pickup and sendoff, training, and room and board arrangements for athletes from the Chinese diaspora will be taken care of by the Beijing Sports University, according to SGAS.
