(dpa) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has cancelled plans to attend the closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Beijing on Sunday, the White House said.
Rice's plans changed because of her ongoing travelling to deal with the crisis in Georgia.
The US delegation will now be headed by Labour Secretary Elaine Chao, the White House said Tuesday.
Others attending will be Michael O Leavitt, the secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, Peter Ueberroth, president of the United States Olympic Committee and figure skating champion Michelle Kwan.