Lausanne, Switzerland, June 22, 2026: The IOC and the China Institute of Sport Science (CISS) are aiming to reach 100 million people in China by the end of 2028, raising awareness of the importance of active lifestyles and encouraging participation in sport and physical activity.
As part of the initiative, special sports events have also been developed ahead of Olympic Day, which will be celebrated worldwide on Tuesday, June 23, inspired by the IOC’s global initiative “Let’s Move”.
The Community Sport and Health Cooperation in China Initiative is a three-year programme which aims to strengthen collaboration between the sport and health sectors and to expand access to sports opportunities, contributing to improved health and well-being for all.
The initiative responds to a significant public health challenge in China. Only 37.2 per cent of people in the country regularly participate in sport and physical activity, while 80 per cent of adolescent boys and 85 per cent of girls do not meet the physical activity levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
At a recent community table tennis event in the Hangzhou Community Sport and Health Centre, participants aged 9 to 75 took part in a welcoming and inclusive environment designed to promote the physical, mental and social benefits of sport.
“It was really fun and inspiring to play and meet others and have the chance to interact with national team athletes,” said Wang, a 12-year-old participant.
“Activities like this make people more willing to step outside, get moving, and continue taking part in community sport in the future,” added Zhou, a 60-year-old local resident who also joined the sport activity.
(Table tennis photo © Hangzhou Gongshu District Kangqiao Street Hao Community Sports Health Center)
(Football photo © Chengdu National Physical Fitness Monitoring Center)
(Olympics.com)
