The Hong Kong Sports Association for the Mentally Handicapped (HKSAM) is dedicated to develop, promote, and organize sports activities for individual with intellectual disabilities. HKSAM, founded in 1978, always encourages them to cultivate the positive attitudes in sportsmanship and facilitates their integration into our community.

Through the commitment of a group of professional to the service for the people with intellectual disabilities, the organization has expanded dramatically from one staff with a few member agencies to 12 full time staff with 120 member agencies ranged from special schools to sheltered workshops, vocational and skills training centers today. After systematic development and expansion for about 30 years, more than 6,000 athletes with annual participation of 25,000 head count are receiving the regular year round training and competitions in Aerobic Dance, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Fitness, Gymnastics, Handball, Ice Skating, Rowing, Soccer, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball and Wushu. Moreover, Snowshoeing and Bocce are newly added this year. Apart from organizing different types of sports activities, we also offer training at the professional level. In this way, we are able to raise the level of skills training of our athletes.

Besides providing regular sports training and competitions, we also provide wide ranges of activities which are beneficial to the athletes. ¡§Special Olympics Fitness Activity Day¡¨, one of our largest annual functions, will be held primarily on 17^th, the 3^rd Friday of December 2004 with the participation of all agencies serving individual with intellectual disabilities. The event will mark the first time for all the people with intellectual disabilities doing exercises at the same day. It is estimated that more than 5000 athletes will take part in this event. In the local competition level, Regional Athletic meet, one of our largest local events, with about 3000 participants coming from 75 member agencies, is held every year between October and November since 1975. The events included high jump, long jump, standing long jump, softball throw, beanbag/tennis ball throw, shot put, 10m, 25m, 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m run. Ceremonial rituals included marching-in of athletes, vote by judges and athletes. The second overall health tests (including Opening Eyes, Special Smiles, Healthy Hearing and Health Fitness) will be held on 20/11/2004 for participating athletes in the 29th HKSO Athletic Meet-Regional III.

¡§Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics ¡¨ is held annually on the first Sunday of May with the support rendered by Correctional Services Department, Customs & Excise Department, Fire Services Department, Government Flying Services, Hong Kong Police, Immigration Department, Independent Commission Against Corruption and Leisure & Cultural Services Department. Individual runner raising a minimum of $400 and corporate raising $50,000 or above will be invited to join the Run. The fund raised will be used to support the training program for Special Olympians and their participation in overseas games such as Special Olympics World Summer/Winter Games.

For further information, please visit our website http://www.hksam.org.hk or email us event@hksam.org.hk.

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* Information & photos provided by the National Sports Association