Sports Director of the China Olympics Commission, Lou Dapeng stated that for the 28 competitive athletic events in the 2008 Olympics, China will provide a total of 59 stadiums, sports arenas, gymnasiums, workout and exercise areas, all of which will meet international specifications. Beijing will provide 32 competition venues, located in the four districts of the Olympic Park. For the convenience of the participating athletes, 14 of the competition areas will be within 5 minutes' drive of the Olympic Village, 10 of the competition venues will be within a 20-minute drive, and the remaining 8 venues will be within 30 minutes' drive. Five additional competition venues will be located in Shanghai; Tianjin; Qingdao, Shandong; Qinhuangdao, Hebei; and Shenyang, Liaoning. Qingdao will host the sailboat race competitions while the four other cities will host soccer matches.
