Shanghai yesterday succeeded in winning its bid to host the 2007
Special Olympics World Summer Games.
The decision was announced by Special Olympics International
officials in the city. The decision comes nearly a year after the
Chinese Government launched a historic five-year plan to boost the
Special Olympics movement in China, including the ambitious goal of
attracting 500,000 new Special Olympics athletes by 2005.
Tim Shriver, president and chief executive of Special Olympics
International, said: "China is our movement's future... Its
leadership in building Special Olympics opportunities in
communities throughout the country is second to none."
Special Olympics International is the organizer of the world's
largest program of sports training and athletics competitions for
mentally disabled children and adults. The movement's vision is to
double the number of participating athletes worldwide to 2 million
by the year 2005.
China's success in winning the bid means that it will be the first
time such an event will have been held in Asia. This is expected to
strongly boost the Special Olympics cause in Asia as a whole, as
well as in China.
Currently, China has more than 60 million disabled people,
including 12 million mentally disabled individuals. The host city
of Shanghai itself has about 70,000 mentally disabled people.
The strong Special Olympics programs in China, substantial
government support and the outstanding sports venues and
accommodation facilities in Shanghai are the major factors behind
Special Olympics International's decision, according to officials
of the organization.
Shanghai Mayor Chen Liangyu said: "Our city is excited to promote
the Special Olympics and its athletes from today until the event in
2007 and into the future. I'm confident the city of Shanghai and
its citizens will stage a brilliant games."
In
addition to some 7,000 athletes, the event in the city is expected
to attract 40,000 volunteers, 3,500 event officials, and thousands
of families, spectators and journalists from more than 150
countries or regions worldwide.
The athletes will compete at different ability levels in 20
Olympic-type sports, including athletics, basketball,
equestrianism, judo and sailing. They will demonstrate their
athletic skills, determination and courage while gaining
opportunities to better integrate into society.
Shanghai will raise about US$30 million to host the games, which
will come from corporate sponsorship, government support and
community donations.
In
order to better prepare for the event, the city will soon map out
its own Special Olympics five-year plan and intensify its efforts
to mobilize qualified volunteers and boost the development of those
Special Olympics sports still unknown in the country, according to
Shi Derong, director of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.
(China
Daily May 25, 2002)