PREPARING FOR THE ASIAN GAMES

GUANGZHOU, China (AP) — Civic officials in the Asian Games host city are leaving little to chance when it comes to crowd behavior, encouraging its 10 million citizens in a barrage of brochures and text messages to act properly and in a “harmonious” fashion. The last time China hosted a major multisports event – the 2008 Beijing Olympics – the crowds were well-behaved and cheerleading squads were created to help encourage some of the visiting athletes. In a bid to ensure the spotlight remains positive, officials created a six-year program culminating in a handout of 1 million brochures and the sending of 40 million text messages to its citizens before the games start this week. The two-week Asian Games, featuring 42 sports and more than 10,000 athletes, begin Saturday. (XX images)(20 IMAGES)