May 3, 2014 marked the formal establishment of the first wheelchair basketball team of Tibet. Tibet Autonomous Region Disabled Persons'Federation purchased ten special wheelchairs for the team. Over the past year, more than 20 members of Tibet Autonomous Region Association of Persons with Physical Disability from Lhasa ,Shigatse, Ngari, etc., have joined the team. They include Thangka painter, sewer, small handicraft workshop boss, etc.

In the beginning, they learned playing skills through trial and error themselves since there was no coach and went here and there to look for a field to practice because no fixed training field was provided for them. Tibet Autonomous Region Disabled Persons’ Federation gives a subsidy of 500 yuan to the basketball team for each activity it organizes.

The 9th National Games of Disabled Persons was just concluded. The team members were most concerned about the wheelchair basketball event. They have the same hope: to participate in the wheelchair basketball match of the next National Games of Disabled Persons on behalf of Tibet.

   

Basketball team members in practice on September 20. [Photo/Xinhua]
 

Basketball team members in practice on September 20. [Photo/Xinhua]

Basketball team members in practice on September 20. [Photo/Xinhua]

Basketball team members in practice on September 20. [Photo/Xinhua]

Basketball team members in practice on September 20. [Photo/Xinhua]