08.07.2008
In a month, on August 8 at 8pm, an official opening ceremony of the 29th Olympic Games will start in China’s capital Beijing.
A month ahead the Olympic Games 212 Belarusian athletes won the licenses in 26 sports to participate in the Olympic Games, BelTA learnt from press representative of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus Piotr Ryabukhin.
An additional license or the so-called wildcard will be granted to trap shooter Andrei Gerashchenko. The Belarusian Cycling Federation is waiting for a decision of the International Cycling Union (UCI) about granting a wildcard to 2008 cycle track champion Alexander Lisovsky and leading Belarusian road racer Tatiana Sharakova.
Belarus has won the licenses in athletics (76), swimming (15), rowing (13), basketball (12), weightlifting (10), rhythmic gymnastics (8), artistic gymnastics (7), canoe and kayak (7), shooting (7), freestyle wrestling (5), cycling (5 road and track), tennis (5), sailing (4), diving (4), boxing (4), judo (4), table tennis (4), Greco-Roman wrestling (4), modern pentathlon (4), fencing (3), equestrian (3), trampoline (2), synchronized swimming (2), archery (2), badminton (1), trap shooting (1).
The final membership of the Belarusian team will be decided by the end of July. The team is expected to include 180-185 athletes in 26 sports. Athletes and swimmers still have a chance to win some more licenses. Anyway the Belarusian sports delegation to Beijing will be the most representative the country has ever had. Belarus sent 159 athletes in 21 sports to the Olympic Games in Atlanta, 139 athletes in 21 sports in Sydney, 151 athletes in 23 sports in Athens in 2004.
All in all the Belarusian delegation will include more than 330 people including coaches, psychologists, technical staff and other specialists.