Disabled sports in China: on the ball instead of always indoors

People with disabilities still feel discriminated against in China, especially in public spaces. A football club in Shanghai for people with disabilities wants to change that.

An artificial grass soccer field in Shanghai. Young adults with mental disabilities play football here in red jerseys: ball training for cones, playful running training and then the highlight – a final game.

“I love football. I love football,” 29-year-old Tan Huiquan keeps repeating. He’s one of the people who talks the most. “I love playing football with my teammates, we train together.”

His teammate Yang Ye only started last year. “I like sports,” she replies briefly and when asked: “My dad supports me playing soccer.”

Amateur sport for the disabled is not encouraged

The club was officially registered in 2014 and, according to the founders, was the first official football club for people with disabilities in the People’s Republic. While China invests a lot in top-class sport for people with disabilities, discovering and promoting talent, this was not intended for amateur sport for disabled people, says the founder of the club, Zhong Ming:

Great reservations in rural areas

In Chinese society, it is still often considered a shame to give birth to a child with a disability. Especially in rural areas, Professor Yang Lixiong of Beijing People’s University says, “There are still people who abandon their disabled children or abort them. The phenomenon is diminishing, but it still exists and it reflects how parts of society in China do looking at disabled people.”

Although there are an estimated 85 million people with disabilities in the People’s Republic, you hardly see them on the streets. “Chinese society still has a tendency to stigmatize people with disabilities. This means that as soon as a person goes out, they feel discriminated against and therefore do not necessarily want to go out in the public space,” said Yang.

Not always barrier-free

Even in companies, people with disabilities are hardly represented as workers. As far as accessibility is concerned, the infrastructure on the streets is improving, but it is nowhere near the level of rich industrialized countries. There are still people in wheelchairs who live in houses without elevators, for example.

Playing football: Finally getting outside

Back to the soccer field in Shanghai: The people who come here either live in a care facility or with their parents. They are mentally impaired, their movements are slower.

Zhong Ming, the founder of the association, wanted the children and young adults with disabilities to finally be able to get out and exercise. He too had observed that the children tend to be kept away from life outside.

He is convinced that football training can also improve the general health of young people. “Football is a simple sport and after training, parents notice that the children are happier. Their communication increases. That’s why parents now like it and send their children to football.”