Asian Games: Is Eurhythmics a new gymnastics event?

Let's face it, American students can be pretty annoying. They can have a huge degree of self-importance, a worrying level of self-assurance and an interesting grasp on geography.

But they are do have their uses.

There are plenty here in China, either studying or working as English teachers. It is a shame more of them weren't engaged to do proofing, reading and checking of copy before it found its way into the hands of the foreign media.

Here at the Asian Games there is tons of literature pouring out every day in a constant information flow. The information is earnest and well meaning and the effort is more than appreciated as few have any grasp on Mandarin.

But it does seem the various translation computers have been working overtime.

One of the official media guides took on the task of providing explanatory notes for all 42 sports here. Not an easy job, as the diversity of countries and often lack of commonality makes for some very foreign concepts.

According to the guide, rugby is divided into the "British type" and the "American type." In the "British rugby competition", the players don't usually wear the protectors and can only pass the ball backward.

The Rowing course "shall be straight", the athletes "finish the races at their own courses" and the places are determined according to "the sequence of bows reaching the finishing point".

Gymnastics apparently has a sub-category called "Eurhythmics", which came from Europe.

Football, we are told, first originated from China. This is possibly fair enough, as there is increasing evidence of a kind of football being played in ancient China but England is usually recognised as the home of football.

"Soldiers from the north coast of Scotland," we are informed, "were the first to carry out the golf competition", where the players hit the ball from the 'service area'."

Triathlon was the personal favourite and a real doozey. "The triathlete will complete the competition if his/her body reaches the vertical plane of the nearer edge of the finishing line" was the official explanation of the event.

- Herald on Sunday

Michael Burgess travelled to China with the support of the Asia New Zealand Foundation, which is an organisation dedicated to building New Zealanders' knowledge and understanding of Asia.