Advanced Search
Business | Metro | Nation | World | Sports | Features | Specials | Delta Stories
 
 
Commercials for Special Olympics aired
22/7/2006 11:21

Shanghai Daily news

The first three TV commercials of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Game to be held in Shanghai were released in Beijing yesterday.
Three Chinese Special Olympic players who are the leading actors of the commercials attended the ceremony with NBA player Yao Ming.
Begun in 1968 in the United States, Special Olympics International soon became the most important games for mentally disabled people all over the world.
China was chosen as the host nation for the games in 2002.
"When we were making the commercials, it never occurred to me that the players were suffering from mental disability," said Yang Qingsheng, director of the commercials. "I think they are nothing different from us."
The slogan of the 2007 Shanghai Special Olympics is "I know I can," and that's just what the special players want to tell the world.
"I think the right spirit of Special Olympics is to strive for victory in each game," said Wang Shoudong, one of the three players, the champion of double table tennis games at the 2003 Dublin Special Olympics. "I believe I can do anything as well as the others."
Wu Fangmiao, a basketball player suffering from cerebral palsy and Zhao Zengzeng, the runner suffering from Downs Syndrome also expressed confidence in achievement at the games next year.
The commercials have recorded the daily training and leisure life of the three special athletes, which is similar to the thousands of special athletes' in China and around the world.
"I'm greatly touched and encouraged by the special athletes," said Yao Ming. "They are a symbol of fair play which tells the world is fair as long as you are willing to make the effort."