Russia is to send a 900-strong team to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, head of Russian sports bureau Vyacheslav Fetisov said in Moscow on Tuesday.

"The Russian Olympic delegation has 900 members, including 400 athletes, coaches and medical staffs," Fetisov said.

More than 1,000 athletes from 72 regions of Russia are currently preparing for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, he said.

The Russian team has now won licenses for the participation in 23 individual sports at the upcoming Olympics, he said.

"The athlete lists have already been decided for such events as basketball, volleyball, free wrestling, gymnastics, eurythmics and track-and-field," Fetisov said.

Fetisov said earlier that Russia is expected to win 38 to 40 gold medals during the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Russia won 27 gold medals and ranked third at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2008)