Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

    BUENOS AIRES, July 4, (Xinhua) -- Argentine sports minister Claudio Morresi requested on Friday no to demand medals from the Argentine athletes in the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008.

    In an interview with Xinhua, Morresi said "we are happy because the delegation has trained during this time in the best way, in comparison with the past Olympic Games" of Athens.

    "The State was present with an important budget, so the truth is that we don't want to demand medals, diplomas or non-diplomas" to achieve the finals, Morresi said.

    "We wish Argentina could perform a good roll, but we are happy because we were able to aid the sportsmen buying for them the equipment, the payment of scholarship and the travels to different places in the world," Morresi said.

    "It has been important all the work that China is doing to arrive in the best way and the comments we have are been good," Morresi said.

    In Athens, Argentina won two gold medals (men's basketball and soccer) and four bronze medals (women's field-hockey, tennis, swimming and yachting).

    Morresi made the remarks in Buenos Aires when Argentine president Cristina Fernandez gave the country's flag to basketball player Emanuel Ginobili, who was chosen to lead the Argentine delegation during the opening ceremony of the Olympics.