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Chen vows to help 2008 Olympics team

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday he hopes to volunteer his services to help the nation's team that will participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Chen was speaking at a meeting with Taiwanese athletes who won medals at the recently concluded Athens Olympic Games.

Taiwan grabbed two gold medals, two silvers and one bronze at the Athens Olympics. It was the best medal count in the country's Olympic history and marked the first time that Taiwan ever won gold at the Olympic Games.

Chen said he earnestly hopes that the nation will be able to boost its gold medal count to seven at the next Olympic Games, to be held in Beijing in 2008.

"By that time, I hope I can serve as a volunteer to the Taiwan team to the Beijing Olympic Games," Chen told his guests.

Chen lauded the Olympic medalists for their perseverance in the grueling quest for the top sports laurels.

"Your amazing athletic achievements have helped make the world acknowledge that Taiwan could be a promising sports powerhouse. And I want to take advantage of this meeting to express admiration and congratulations to all the star athletes, as well as their coaches and parents, on behalf of the government and people," Chen said.

Among the 202 countries and entities participating in the Athens Olympics, Taiwan ranked 31st in terms of its medal tally. In Asia, Taiwan ranked fifth.

In comparison, Taiwan ranked 58th in the world and 10th in Asia in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

"The figures indicate that we have made significant progress in our athletic development and pursuit of sporting prowess," Chen said.

In the future, the president went on to say, the government will continue to promote domestic physical education and to improve sports facilities in order to nurture a new generation of star athletes.

"The government will offer full moral and material support for athletic talent cultivation," Chen said, adding that the government will also encourage private business groups and organizations to take part in the endeavor.

Moreover, Chen said that he would direct the Cabinet to propose amendments to the existing laws to allow state-owned enterprises and private financial holding companies to participate in programs aimed at the cultivation of Olympic athletes and to offer better protection for star athletes' work and everyday life.

The president said the government will pool the resources of the public and private sectors to step up athletic talent cultivation in order to realize the ambitious goal of grabbing at least seven gold medals at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Later in the day, Chen hosted a luncheon in honor of all members of the Taiwan delegation to the Athens Olympics, including athletes, coaches, managers, trainers, masseurs, doctors and other staff members.

On Monday, Chen decorated Olympic taekwondo gold medalists Chen Shih-hsin (陳詩欣) and Chu Mu-yen (朱木炎) with the Order of the Brilliant Star, Fifth Class, in recognition of their outstanding athletic achievements.

It marked the first time that the government has ever conferred the Order of the Brilliant Star to athletes.

Noting that Chen Shih-hsin and Chu are the nation's first gold medalists, the president said they have accomplished a "beautiful dream."
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