UNIT 20 Disability

Shanghai puts effort into games for disabled

SHANGHAI: The city's enthusiasm for the Fifth National Games for the Disabled, which begin Saturday, has shown an increase, with more than 30,000 volunteers recruited to participate.

The volunteers, between ages 11 and 87, are helping the games.

"The games are not only for the disabled, but for all Shanghai people and all Chinese people," Deputy Shanghai Party Secretary Gong Xueping said.

Gong's words were echoed by Shanghai Mayor Xu Kuangdi in a televised speech and by Vice-Mayor Feng Guoqin at the pre-games torch relay ceremony.

About 1,800 athletes from 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, as well as Hong Kong and Macao, will compete in 11 sports events.

Most sports delegations have arrived in Shanghai. On Tuesday the city received 24 sports delegations, and the other seven delegations were expected to arrive yesterday.

Shanghai has also shown its support by making it easy for disabled people to get around. Buses and 100 extra cars are ready to take spectators to the various game venues. About 90 buses retrofitted with amenities for disable people are now in use.

Shanghai's two airports offer at least 20 wheelchairs and will open two special channels for disabled athletes. In the same spirit, "blind ways" have been paved in the railway station, at Hongqiao International Airport, on Metro Line 2 and at all game venues and hotels for the disabled players.

The athletes, representing China's 60 million disabled people, are now being grouped according to their physical conditions to ensure fair play. The next move: three professionally arranged parties.

On Saturday night, an opening ceremony and a variety show at the Shanghai Gymnasium will star China Central TV anchors Zhao Zhongxiang and Ni Ping plus a disabled anchor and disabled artists.

And the China Handicapped People Art Troupe will perform twice at the Shanghai Grand Theatre on May 10 and 11. A fashion show for the disabled will be on May 9 at the JC Mandarin Hotel.

This year's games mark the first time mentally disabled athletes will compete.

Chinese disabled athletes have set 170 world records and won 1,600 gold medals in international competitions.

The games close on May 14.

江苏省靖江高级中学