The countdown is on to the Special Olympics World Summer Games.

In less than 20 days, the event will debut in Shanghai, the first city in Asia to host the games for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

The event will attract more than 10,000 athletes and their coaches, 20,000 event officials, athletes' family members, celebrities and sponsors, as well as 1,000 journalists from more than 160 nations and regions.

It comes ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Paralympic Games, and will utilize 30 sports venues.

Some 95 hotels are ready to accommodate delegations.

Special arrangements have been made for the athletes.

"For instance, no edged tools are allowed in athletes' rooms and windows don't open fully," Zhou Xiao, director of the steering committee's reception department, said.

Different religious beliefs among athletes have also been considered as well as dietary needs.

The local food safety watchdog dispatched its working staff and set up a supervisory team in each reception hotel to guarantee the food quality and nutrition.

Eighteen shuttle bus lines have been opened between the 30 sports venues, offering free transport services athletes, coaches, families and media.

To ensure an orderly and safe event, the public security department, armed police force and health department have formed a unified and comprehensive security and emergency mechanism.

Audiences are required to buy tickets with their identification cards.

All of the athletes and their families will have the opportunity to participate in the grand opening and closing ceremonies on October 2 and 11.

Zhou Weidong, secretary-general of the city's IT commission, said delegation leaders will be equipped with free mobile phones and each athlete given a free 200-minute local telephone card.

(China Daily September 13, 2007)