  Former Chinese ping pong ace Deng Yaping has been apointed deputy director in charge of the management of the Olympic Village for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The Beijing Times reports Deng will take office on Tuesday and the village department will start operations soon.
An official with the Games organizer, BOCOG, said the department was established to deal with the rising workload relating to village construction and preparation for the reception of athletes.
The official said Deng Yaping, thought by many to be the greatest female player in table tennis history, was named because of her abundant experience in attending competitions abroad. This, he said would allow her to provide better services for athletes, and - along with her fluency in English - was another factor in nomination her.
Deng, who is studying at Cambridge University for a doctorate in economics, is both a member of the IOC Sport and Environment Commission and the IOC Athletes Commission. She also serves the Chinese Olympic Committee and worked on ties between BOCOG and domestic partners.
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