2008 Summer Olympics baseball game schedule released

(BEIJING, June 17) -- China face Canada, while defending champions Cuba meet Japan in the opening games of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Baseball tournament.

The International Baseball Federation (IBF) and BOCOG released the schedule for the Olympic Games in August. Eight national teams will contest the competition which will consist of a round robin format in which each team will play against each seven other teams.

The USA, Cuba, Netherlands, Japan, Republic of Korea, Canada and Chinese Taipei have been selected from competition, and join China which, as the Olympic Games host nation, gains automatic qualification.

However, the runners-up of the 2004 Athens Olympics, Australia, have failed to qualify. The top four sides in the preliminary competition will move into the semifinals, with the country ranked No 1 playing the team ranked No 4, and No 2 playing the third-placed team. The winning semifinalists will contest the final, and the gold and silver medals.

This will be the first time that a Chinese baseball team has taken part in Olympic Games, and it could be the last time - baseball has not been included in the London 2012 Olympic Games roster.

The Olympic baseball tournament will be staged from August 13 – 23 at the Beijing Wukesong Baseball Field. The semifinals will be held on August 22, with the final on August 23.