The Government today (August 5) launched a public consultation on a recent consultancy report on Sport for People with Disabilities in Hong Kong to solicit views from the public on how to support athletes with disabilities and promote sports participation by persons with disabilities in a more comprehensive manner. The consultation period will last for three months until November 4.
      
      A spokesperson for the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) said that the Chief Executive announced in the 2015 Policy Address that the Government would commission a consultancy study on how to support athletes with disabilities and promote comprehensive participation in sport by person with disabilities.
      
     The spokesperson said, "In the past year, the commissioned consultant conducted surveys and interviews with relevant organisations including 'national sports associations', special schools and organisations related to persons with disabilities. The consultant made reference to overseas experiences and formulated recommendations on supporting disabled athletes and promoting sports participation by persons with disabilities in a more comprehensive manner."
      
     The consultant analysed the current level of sports participation by persons with disabilities in Hong Kong; their needs in relation to sports participation; current levels of support provided by relevant sports and other organisations to persons with disabilities (including athletes); and support provided by comparable places in developing opportunities for persons with disabilities. The following main areas are recommended by the consultancy study:
 
(a) Promoting sports participation by persons with disabilities: enhancing the provision and management of facilities to assist people with disabilities, and to provide more activities, training programmes and competition opportunities for them;
 
(b) Enhancing support for high-performance athletes with disabilities, including the provision of full-time training opportunities;
 
(c) The structure and mode of co-operation of sport organisations for persons with disabilities; and
 
(d) Capacity building: enhancing the understanding of relevant people on participation in sports by persons with disabilities, and training more excellent coaches for persons with disabilities.
 
     A working committee has been formed to oversee the consultancy study. The composition of the working committee includes:
 
Ms Amy Chan Lim-chee
Mrs Jenny Fung Ma Kit-han
Mrs Laura Ling Lau Yuet-fun
Miss Yu Chui-yee
Representative of the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled
Representative of the Hong Kong Sports Association for Persons with Intellectual Disability
Representative of the Hong Kong Sports Association of the Deaf
Representative of the Hong Kong Special Schools Council
Representative of the Hong Kong Sports Institute
Representative of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Representative of the Social Welfare Department
 
     The HAB thanked members of the working committee, surveyed organisations and individuals, and other organisations and individuals for their valuable input, and will write to relevant organisations seeking their comments on the consultancy report.
      
     The consultancy report on the study can be downloaded from the website of the HAB (www.hab.gov.hk). Members of the public can send their views on or before November 4 by email (habrs@hab.gov.hk), by post (Policy Support and Subvention Section, Recreation and Sport Division (1), Home Affairs Bureau, 13/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong), or by facsimile (2802 0252).

Ends/Friday, August 5, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:01

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