Olympic Champion Yang Yang Calls for Better Community Sports Facilities for Children

CPPCC Member Yang Yang has called for improved sports facilities for children in China's neighborhoods. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei]

Yang Yang, China's first Winter Olympic champion, and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, has filed a proposal to the top political advisory body during its ongoing annual session, calling for more concern and support to develop better community sports facilities for children, especially preschoolers, across the country.

Yang, retired speed skater and mother of two, said that exercise in communities is as important as it is in schools. National fitness has risen to the level of a national strategy. China has been making overall planning and construction in this regard, and the needs of children should be paid attention to.

Yang, who is also vice-president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), suggested that children's exercise should be included in the range of national fitness and the government should formulate relevant standards for the children and youth sports facilities, guide the planning of community sports as well as the construction and use of facilities.

She called for building a community culture to promote youth and children's sports activities, and for training and building of volunteers' teams composed of sports instructors for children and youth in communities.

Children play in a community in Xiangluying East Lane, Beijing, on March 11. [Xinhua/Lan Hongguang]

(Source: Xinhua /Translated and edited by Women of China)