A163: Analysis and Prospects of Youth Sports for the Disabled inChina

Purpose: Based on the White Paper on the Development of Sports and Protection of the Rights of the Disabled in China published by the Information Office of the State Council, and referencing the Opinions of the Ministry of Education on Deepening the Integration of Physical Education and Sport and Promoting the Healthy Development of Young People, this paper investigated the current state of sports participation among young people with disabilities in China. It analyzed the challenges hindering its development and proposed solutions. Methods: This study examined youth with disabilities, their caregivers, and families across five provinces and cities, including Jinhua City in Zhejiang Province and Shijiazhuang City in Hebei Province. Employing literature review, expert interviews, questionnaires, logical reasoning, and mathematical statistics, it compared and analyzed sports participation among disabled youths domestically and internationally to identify the core issues limiting engagement in sports in China. Results: The analysis revealed that barriers to sports participation for young people with disabilities included: 1) insufficient attention from local governments and schools towards mass sports for the disabled, with some special education schools even neglecting physical education, thus preventing students from accessing sports; 2) a shortage of qualified physical education teachers and instructors, coupled with a lack of professional training for these educators and for social sports instructors; 3) families of disabled individuals often overlook the importance of sports, neglecting their children's needs for physical activity and the benefits it brings to physical and mental health; 4) low self-esteem among youths, leading to resistance towards sports participation. Conclusion: Based on the findings, to enhance sports participation among young people with disabilities, future efforts should focus on: 1) strengthening policy guidance, improving laws and regulations, and prioritizing special education schools to safeguard the sports rights of young people with disabilities; 2) broadening the diversity of sources for physical education teachers and optimizing pathways for the re-employment of retired athletes; 3) enhancing the service system for social sports instructors for disabled individuals; 4) fostering greater societal awareness and integration between disabled and non-disabled communities.