By Grant Clark

Oct. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Chinese children will be taught how
to behave at sports events as part of an Olympics program in
schools, organizers of the 2008 Beijing Games said.
Sports officials and the Education Ministry have selected
556 so-called ``Olympic Education Model Schools'' with a view to
boosting knowledge in the run-up to the country's first Olympics.
``By bringing Olympic sports knowledge into the physical
education curriculum, the program will promote competition events
and audience courtesy,'' the Beijing Organizing Committee, or
Bocog, said in a statement on its Web site today.
Overseas athletes have complained about mobile phones
ringing and audience chatter at some Chinese events. Top-ranked
golfer Tiger Woods regularly pulled away from shots at a Shanghai
tournament last year as fans took his picture, even after they
received printed instructions on etiquette.
The Olympic program will target teenagers and seek to get
children involved in preparations for the 17-day event starting
Aug. 8, 2008, Bocog said in the statement. It will also involve
international student exchanges.
China yesterday appointed 356 schools outside Beijing to
join the program after previously announcing 200 in the capital.