Page 366 - 2022 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
P. 366
2 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
Administration of Sport have launched a series organizational standards in relation to safety. The
of policies to actively support the development of GAS also highlighted the need to make emergency
the sector and to encourage the establishment of rescue, pandemic prevention, and topographic
rehabilitation conglomerates and chains. With the and meteorological factors the central issues in
supportive policies, the number of enterprises the organization of events, and also to carry out
involved in the sector has been surging. According to comprehensive assessments of risks that may be
the 2020 China Sports Rehabilitation Industry White involved. The statement also said that races will
Paper, which was issued by the Sports Rehabilitation now also be suspended at the first sign of danger
Industry Alliance, by the end of 2020 there were and safety accidents must be prevented from
nearly 400 sports rehab institutions in China, and happening again. No timeline has been given and it
the growth rate over the past three years surpassed is unclear what races are included under the broad
40%. The institutions were mainly located in first- categories mentioned in the announcement, but
tier cities, and average treatment fees were around the suspension is likely to apply to most races held
1,000 RMB, said the paper. It also showed that in outside urban areas and not on asphalted roads, as
2020, China's regular exercise population reached well as 12- and 24-hour races, and road races longer
430 million. Nevertheless, problems in the sector than the marathon distance. China’s running boom
still remain. According to a report from internet started around a decade ago and has since seen a
medical company jianke.com, 51% of general proliferation of ultramarathons (races longer than
hospitals in provincial capitals lacked rehab training marathon distance of 42km), trail, desert and high-
space, while 49.6% of the rehab equipment in those altitude races with hundreds of events held across
hospitals was outdated, making it hard to satisfy the country every year (Toropov).
patients' sports rehab needs (Yiran).
Olympic Influence
China bans ultramarathons and off-road races
after 21 die in Gansu tragedy. Races in mountainous China is proposing schools run mandatory
areas, cross-desert, ultra-distance, and other newly gym classes and for children to have at least
popular sports activities that involve high risk have one hour of sports every day, under changes to
been suspended. General Administration of Sport sports legislation as the county fights rising rates
acts on safety and organization after competitors of obesity. Revisions to The National Sports Law,
caught in sudden storm in race in Gansu province. which are being reviewed by the NPC, China’s top
On May 22, during a mountain cross-country legislative body, called for a national “exercise
competition, 21 runners died after being caught strategy”, requires schools to have available gym
in a sudden storm and freezing temperatures. The classes and designates August 8 as a National Sports
tragedy shocked China and the rest of the world. Day, according to the NPC website. The law was
The race organizers were heavily criticized on a first implemented in 1995 and underwent minor
number of fronts in terms of safety planning and revisions in 2009 and 2016. The current proposed
logistics. The tragedy was followed by a string of changes are substantial, with 55 additions.
suspensions and now the General Administration NPC member He Yiting said the revisions are to
of Sport of China has declared a range of running prepare the country for the Beijing 2022 Winter
disciplines as insufficiently regulated and lacking Olympics, as there are commercial events and
well-defined safety standards, and suspended all public activities that need legal supervision, Xinhua
these types of races, effective immediately. The News Agency reported. Among the additions is
General Administration of Sport stated that in order a new section on anti-doping, the NPC website
to fully guarantee the health and to safeguard the said, stating stimulants should not be provided to
lives of the people, races in mountainous areas, sports competition participants and establishing
cross-desert races, ultra-distance races and other an international anti-doping mechanism. Other
such newly popular sport activities that involve high revisions include increasing national exercise rates
risk, management duties are unclear, regulations and ensuring children’s sports time, requiring
not perfected, and safety standards not clear-cut, local governments and residential committees to
are suspended. The GAS is now expected to carry provide assistance, and for schools to promote
out a thorough examination of races and their
366
Administration of Sport have launched a series organizational standards in relation to safety. The
of policies to actively support the development of GAS also highlighted the need to make emergency
the sector and to encourage the establishment of rescue, pandemic prevention, and topographic
rehabilitation conglomerates and chains. With the and meteorological factors the central issues in
supportive policies, the number of enterprises the organization of events, and also to carry out
involved in the sector has been surging. According to comprehensive assessments of risks that may be
the 2020 China Sports Rehabilitation Industry White involved. The statement also said that races will
Paper, which was issued by the Sports Rehabilitation now also be suspended at the first sign of danger
Industry Alliance, by the end of 2020 there were and safety accidents must be prevented from
nearly 400 sports rehab institutions in China, and happening again. No timeline has been given and it
the growth rate over the past three years surpassed is unclear what races are included under the broad
40%. The institutions were mainly located in first- categories mentioned in the announcement, but
tier cities, and average treatment fees were around the suspension is likely to apply to most races held
1,000 RMB, said the paper. It also showed that in outside urban areas and not on asphalted roads, as
2020, China's regular exercise population reached well as 12- and 24-hour races, and road races longer
430 million. Nevertheless, problems in the sector than the marathon distance. China’s running boom
still remain. According to a report from internet started around a decade ago and has since seen a
medical company jianke.com, 51% of general proliferation of ultramarathons (races longer than
hospitals in provincial capitals lacked rehab training marathon distance of 42km), trail, desert and high-
space, while 49.6% of the rehab equipment in those altitude races with hundreds of events held across
hospitals was outdated, making it hard to satisfy the country every year (Toropov).
patients' sports rehab needs (Yiran).
Olympic Influence
China bans ultramarathons and off-road races
after 21 die in Gansu tragedy. Races in mountainous China is proposing schools run mandatory
areas, cross-desert, ultra-distance, and other newly gym classes and for children to have at least
popular sports activities that involve high risk have one hour of sports every day, under changes to
been suspended. General Administration of Sport sports legislation as the county fights rising rates
acts on safety and organization after competitors of obesity. Revisions to The National Sports Law,
caught in sudden storm in race in Gansu province. which are being reviewed by the NPC, China’s top
On May 22, during a mountain cross-country legislative body, called for a national “exercise
competition, 21 runners died after being caught strategy”, requires schools to have available gym
in a sudden storm and freezing temperatures. The classes and designates August 8 as a National Sports
tragedy shocked China and the rest of the world. Day, according to the NPC website. The law was
The race organizers were heavily criticized on a first implemented in 1995 and underwent minor
number of fronts in terms of safety planning and revisions in 2009 and 2016. The current proposed
logistics. The tragedy was followed by a string of changes are substantial, with 55 additions.
suspensions and now the General Administration NPC member He Yiting said the revisions are to
of Sport of China has declared a range of running prepare the country for the Beijing 2022 Winter
disciplines as insufficiently regulated and lacking Olympics, as there are commercial events and
well-defined safety standards, and suspended all public activities that need legal supervision, Xinhua
these types of races, effective immediately. The News Agency reported. Among the additions is
General Administration of Sport stated that in order a new section on anti-doping, the NPC website
to fully guarantee the health and to safeguard the said, stating stimulants should not be provided to
lives of the people, races in mountainous areas, sports competition participants and establishing
cross-desert races, ultra-distance races and other an international anti-doping mechanism. Other
such newly popular sport activities that involve high revisions include increasing national exercise rates
risk, management duties are unclear, regulations and ensuring children’s sports time, requiring
not perfected, and safety standards not clear-cut, local governments and residential committees to
are suspended. The GAS is now expected to carry provide assistance, and for schools to promote
out a thorough examination of races and their
366
