Special athletes football match in Haikou, Hainan province

 

As one of the four development priorities set by Special Olympics in 2008, football has been a development focus for Special Olympics East Asia. With guidance and support of the regional office, the five SOEA Programs celebrate Special Olympics football week in 100 cities across the region, of which 78 cities in China. To prepare for the launch of the event, SO China organized 5 coaches training workshop during April and May after the regional senior coach seminar organized by SOEA in March.

 

The football week in China, with various football-related activities including Volunteers Training, Referee Training, Family-Children’s Forum, Athlete Leadership Project, Individual Skill Competition, Unified Team Competition and Fun Football Activities, were highly successful, helping to raise huge public awareness on Special Olympics in the local area. Special Olympics athletes from different districts of each area and their relatives and coaches, referees as well as leaders from local Disabled Persons’ Federation, Education Bureau and Sports Bureau local football stars and volunteers and volunteers of some Football Clubs joined together to participate in the activities and celebrate the spirit of Special Olympics.

 

Special Olympics Football is specially targeted for people with intellectual disabilities (ID), with unified football activities participated by both people with and without intellectual disabilities. It is a platform for the ID people to get into the society so as to help create understanding, acceptance and respect to ID people.

 

Opening ceremony for the football week in Zhengzhou, Henan province

 

Training seminar during the football week in Pujiang county, Sichuan province

 

SO Football match in Harbin, Heilongjiang province

 

football match in Jinan, Shandong province

 

group photo for the winning teams in Taiyuan, Shanxi province

 

Training session in Wuhan, Hubei province

 

Group photo for SO athletes and volunteers in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province

 

SO athlete during the football match in Shenyang, Liaoning Province

 

SOEA and Local DPF representatives in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

 

SO athletes with volunteer in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

 

SO athletes in the opening ceremony in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

 

A female SO athlete practicing in a corridor in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

 

Female athletes in training in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province

 

SO Football match in Beijing

 

Unified football competition in Beijing

 

SO athletes from different schools contending for a ball