Chef de mission of the Timor-Leste delegation Fernando Encarnacao said
here Tuesday that his country would cherish every opportunity to participate in
major international sports events including the upcoming Doha Asian Games.
Encarnacao made the remarks at an interview with Xinhua when the delegation
of Timor-Leste, or East Timor, held a flag-raising ceremony Tuesday at the
athletes' village in Doha, capital of Qatar, marking the second time for his
country to compete at an Asian Games after it regained independence in early
21st century.
"Maybe we have no chance to get medals, but we will send our athletes to
compete in major sports events if we have the chance," Encarnacao told Xinhua,
adding "We cherish the chance".
Timor-Leste, which regained its independence in May, 2002, has sent a
contingent of 15 athletes to compete in six events, including athletics,
badminton, boxing, Karate, Taekwondo and weighlifting, at the 15th Doha Asian
Games, which is scheduled for Dec. 1 to 15 in the capital of the Gulf country
Qatar.
According to the official website of the 15th Asian Games, it's the second
time for the small country, which has a size of some 15,000 square km and a
population of some 900,000, to participate in an Asian Games.
Four years ago at the 14th Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, Timor-Leste
sent a 24-member delegation to the event just several months after it regained
independence, without getting medals.
The country also sent a six-athlete team to Athens in 2004 for the
Olympics.
