Weak economy a major hurdle

Hampered by an underdeveloped economy, Gansu, located in the northwest of China, is struggling to garner funds to develop mass sports programs.

According to Shi Shengtai, deputy director of the Gansu Sports Bureau, the province has hit an all-time low in athletics as it only managed to win one gold medal at the 11th National Games in 2009; finishing 25th among the country's 34 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and special administrative regions.

"The development of athletics is closely tied to the region's economic performance. It's impossible to improve the athletic results overnight as the economy of Gansu can't compare with that of a city in South China," Shi said.

In 2012, Gansu spent more than 100 million yuan ($16 million) in building stadiums and sporting facilities, organizing activities and training fitness instructors.

However, with no professional soccer or basketball teams and few major events to host, the sports authorities of Gansu have to rely on national sports lotteries to raise funds.

The local bodies collect about 17.5 percent of the lottery income. Gansu made a total of 1.15 billion yuan from the lotteries in 2012, which meant about 200 million yuan for sport.

However, three other provinces collected 10 times that amount and the overall national gross from sport was more than 100 billion yuan in 2012.

Apart from hoping for more government support, Shi is planning to mobilize more local entrepreneurs to invest in the area - like Gou Zhongliang, a businessman who spent 3 million yuan to build two basketball and two badminton courts and purchased four table tennis tables for his hometown, Gou villiage of Linxia city. He has also organized cross-village basketball competitions.

"Though the government is making more investment, there is still a gap between people's demands and the amount of exercising places and facilities we can offer," Shi said. "A lot of high-quality courts are being built by entrepreneurs, and we hope more of them will contribute to the development of mass sport in the future."

tangzhe@chinadaily.com.cn