Chinese TV show aims to promote spirit of the Games

BEIJING, May 9 (Reuters) A television show called ''My 2008'' will be broadcast later this year as part of a campaign to get the Chinese to embrace the Olympic spirit in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Games.

The series will debut in August and star former badminton world champion Gong Ruina alongside other sporting personalities, according to a report on the China Daily website today.

Each of the 20 episodes will deal with a different Olympic sport while the main characters will have the name of one of the five Olympic mascots, ''The Friendlies''.

Although public backing for the 2008 Games is overwhelming -- a Gallup poll in 2001 showed nearly 95 percent in favour -- there is concern among the organisers and the Beijing government at a lack of engagement with Olympic ideals.

Etiquette guides have spearheaded a campaign aimed at improving the manners of the local population, particularly at sporting events, while Olympic education programmes are now ubiquitous in schools and universities in the capital.

Gong, the 2001 world champion, lost to compatriot Zhou Mi in the bronze medal match at the Athens Olympics in 2004 before injury problems forced her retirement at the age of 24 last year.

REUTERS DH HS1457