"Load! Three, Two, One, Start!" An unfamiliar language to the most of the spectators echoes in the shooting venue of the 5th Chinese City Games.

English is the only working language in the shooting program of the 5th Chinese City Games. " Every referee should give commands and points in English instead of Chinese," told Yu Haijuan, an official in charge of the sport. "This is one of the steps we have taken to adapt to the international rules and prepare for the Beijing Olympics."

The head referee Zhang Wei said, "Only the high-class referees who can communicate in English will be called in to observe the rules in 2008. However, there are not enough referees at international level in China.

"With less than five years to go, we have to race against time. "

There are altogether 98 shooting referees in the City Games, of which 10 are at international level while the other 88 are at national level. "We formed the largest-ever referee squad in order to foster dozens of referees who can meet the standard to officiate in Olympic Games," told Yu.

Shooting is leading the pace to introduce the working language of international sports federation into domestic competitions, requiring referees to use English in national shooting tournaments since 2000.

"All the national-class referees should know English, which means they should be fluent in everyday English while also be able to understand and explain rules in English," said Gao Zhidan, a top official. "English training are offered to the referees before each tournament. And they will be qualified only if they pass both the written and spoken English tests."

However, Gao is not satisfied with the average English level of the referees. "There is still long way to go."

Wang Deqing, in the fifties, has been in the field for a dozen of years. He admitted, "Although it is hard for the referees at my age to learn English, I have found it necessary and useful. And I have taken every chance to learn the language, even learn it from my son."

Introducing English into domestic games helps not only the referees but also the shooters.

"Before 2000 when the referees spoke Chinese, it is difficult for me to understand English commands in international tournaments, which resulted in a lack of concentration," told Ren Jie, world record holder of women's 10m air pistol. "But now there is no such kind of problems. I can easily concentrate on shooting."

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