History & Milestones

The Sports Association for the Physically Disabled of Hong Kong, China (the Association), previously named the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (HKPC&SAPD), was established in 1972 under the leadership of Founding President Prof. Sir Harry Fang and a group of rehabilitation enthusiasts. The Association plans, organizes, develops and promotes sports to the physically impaired so they could enjoy fun of sports and lead a healthy lifestyle.

The Association also played the role of National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Hong Kong in selecting athletes to represent Hong Kong in major multi-sport games, such as Paralympic Games. The Association officially renamed as HKPC&SAPD as requested by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in 2005 in recognition to the Association for undertaking the NPC role since its establishment.

The Association was segregated into two separate and independent entities, namely “The Hong Kong Paralympic Committee (HKPC)” and “The Hong Kong Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (HKSAPD)” in 2022. The newly established HKPC takes over the promotion of local Paralympic Movement and the role as the NPC whereas HKSAPD, as a multi-sport national sports association, continues to develop and promote Para sports, and enable local Para athletes to achieve sporting excellence.

1970

	1972 Sports Association for the Physically Handicapped was established under the leadership of Founding President Prof. Sir Harry Fang and Chairman Mrs. Maureen Wagg with a temporary office in Margaret Trench Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Kwun Tong
	Hong Kong competed in their first Paralympic Games held at Heidelberg and won 1 silver and 1 bronze medals in table tennis

	1973 Headquarters relocated to Block 25, Sau Mau Ping Estate

	1977 Receiving subvention from the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department

	1979 Hosting of the first International Invitation Sports Meet for the Disabled in preparation for the 1982 Far East and South Pacific (FESPIC) Games for the Disabled in Hong Kong
1980

	1980 Starting of regular training programmes for elite athletes

	1982 Hosting of the 3^rd FESPIC Games with 744 athletes from 23 countries and territories in 9 sports

	1984 Received funding support for elite athletes training from the Urban Services Department

	Hong Kong athletes captured the first gold medal at the Stoke Mandeville & New York Paralympic Games and broke the world record in Athletics Women's 4x400m 2-5 (wheelchair class)

	Participated in the first National Games for Persons with Disabilities in Hefei, Anhui


	1986 Establishment of the Disabled Sport Aid Fund by the Government to support athlete trainings

	1987 Hosting of the Six Cities International Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in celebration of the 15^th Anniversary of the Association

	1988 Launching of regional development scheme to ease commune difficulties

	Renamed as the Hong Kong Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (HKSAPD)

	1989 Establishment of Athletes Training Fund to enhance athletes’ training support

1990

	1992 Kwong Kam Shing captured the gold medal of Table Tennis Men’s Singles 5 at the Barcelona Paralympic Games and ranked second in the world

	Hosting of the FESPIC Top 12 Wheelchair Table Tennis Invitational Championships in celebration of the 20^th Anniversary of the Association

	1994 Headquarters relocated to Mei Lam Estate in Shatin

	Being the first city outside Europe to host the World Wheelchair Fencing Championships

	1996 Cheung Wai Leung captured four gold medals in wheelchair fencing events at the Atlanta Paralympic Games, being the first Hong Kong athlete with such achievement made at the same Games

	1997 Hosting of the 1^st FESPIC Table Tennis Championships for the Disabled in celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of the Association

	Cheung Wai Leung, first Para athlete received scholarship from Hong Kong Sports Institute and was elected 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World in the following year

	The then Chairman Dr. York Chow was elected as Vice-President of International Paralympic Committee (IPC)

	Appointed full time coaches for wheelchair fencing and table tennis

2000

	2000 Hong Kong Delegation captured 8 gold, 3 silver and 7 bronze medals at the Sydney Paralympic Games; three new world records in athletics were set by Hong Kong cerebral palsy athletes

	2001 The then President Prof. Sir Harry Fang was awarded the IPC Paralympic Order and the FESPIC Order in the subsequent year in recognition of his significant contribution to the Paralympic Movement; the then Chairman Dr. York Chow re-elected as Vice-President of IPC

	2003 Hosting of the 1^st FESPIC Youth Games to promote Asia Pacific youth Para sports development

	2005 Officially renamed as Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (HKPC&SAPD) as requested by the International Paralympic Committee to reflect the National Paralympic Committee role which the Association has been undertaking since its establishment

	2006 The then Vice Patron Dr. York Chow was awarded the IPC Paralympic Order in recognition of his significant contribution to the Para sports development

	2007 The then Executive Committee member Silas Chiang was awarded the IPC Paralympic Order in recognition of his significant contribution to the Para sports development

	2009 Received the Sports/Culture/Performing Arts category award of Leader of the Year 2008 established by Sing Tao News Corporation Limited

	Organizing of the first staff retreat to formulate long-term strategic development plan

2010

	2010 Launching of Talent Identification Programme to identify potential athletes

	2011 Launching of Athlete Career Programme to provide career consultation, referral services and related workshops, as well as creating in-house internship positions

	2012 Launching of “Commitment to Excellence” Special Edition Octopus card in celebration of the 40^th Anniversary of the Association

	2013 The new logo featured Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s floral emblem, the five-petal Bauhinia blakeana, together with IPC’s three agitos in red, blue and green

	Announcement of vision statement and missions at the 2013 Annual General Meeting

	2014 Hosting of the Run for Paralympians fundraising programme with the support from Standard Chartered Bank and Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association

	2015 Hong Kong Sports Institute Jockey Club Sports Building was unveiled to provide training facilities for the long-term development of Para sports

	2016 Boccia athlete Leung Yuk Wing was shortlisted as the final six nominees for the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability twice in a row (2015 & 2016)

	Hosting of the first Hong Kong Paralympic Day to raise public knowledge and awareness about Para sports

	Establishment of Friends of Para Sports (formly Friends of HKPC&SAPD) to gather passionate individuals to support Paralympic Movement

	The then Executive Secretary Anyetty Chow received the Asian Order awarded by the Asian Paralympic Committee in recognition of her significant contribution to the Para sports development

	2017 Badminton, boccia, lawn bowls, table tennis, tenpin bowling and wheelchair fencing of the Association were included in the Pilot Scheme for the Elite Vote Support System for Disability Sports launched by the Government. 30 athletes joined the scheme and started full-time/part-time trainings

	2018 Signed a four-year Memorandum of Understanding with Korea Paralympic Committee to join force to promote the Paralympic Movement and facilitate athletes of both regions to achieve better performance

	2019 The then General Secretary Martin Lam received the Asian Order awarded by the Asian Paralympic Committee in recognition of his significant contribution to the Para sports development

	Wheelchair fencer Yu Chui Yee was Hong Kong's first athlete to receive the Best Female Athlete awarded by the Asian Paralympic Committee in recognition of her outstanding performance and active support to promote the sport

	The Government affirmed the Pilot Scheme for the Elite Vote Support System for Para Sports recurrent. Badminton, boccia, lawn bowls, table tennis, tenpin bowling and wheelchair fencing governed by the Association were included in the scheme

	Launch of Introductory Para Sports Coaching Course to enhance Para sports coaching development

	2020 Launch of the first six-year development blueprint – Project 2026: 2021-2026 Strategic Development Plan

	2021 Launch of Boccia Regional Training Programme, which also marked the commencement of series of regional / district training programmes

	Friends of Para Sports (previous named Friends of HKPC&SAPD) honoured in the 9^th Hong Kong Volunteer Award Volunteer Group Award

	2022 The then Executive Director Lesley Fung received the Asian Order awarded by the Asian Paralympic Committee in recognition of her significant contribution to the Para sports development

	Officially renamed as Hong Kong Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, and continued to focus on the development and promotion of Para sports

History & Milestones

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010