The IOC’s three-year China initiative targets 100 million people by 2028, using digital and in-person outreach to expand sports access. A dedicated track will support 250,000 residents into regular community sport, in a country where only 37.2 percent of people currently participate.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the Community Sport and Health Cooperation in China Initiative aims to reach 100 million people by the end of 2028. The announcement was made ahead of Olympic Day, which will be celebrated globally on June 23.
The Community Sport and Health Cooperation in China Initiative, launched in January 2026, is a three-year program that promotes collaboration between the sport and health sectors to expand access to sports opportunities, contributing to improved well-being for all. The initiative engages people through both digital outreach and in-person activities designed to encourage involvement in sports and physical exercise. As part of the program, 250,000 residents will be supported in moving from initial participation to regular community-based physical activity and sports.
Only 37.2 percent of people in China regularly participate in sport and physical activity, while 80 percent of adolescent boys and 85 percent of girls do not meet the physical activity levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), reminds the IOC.
The Community Sport and Health Cooperation Initiative in China is an extension of the wider Sport and Health Cooperation Initiative, delivered by the IOC in collaboration with the WHO and global health NGO PATH in Ghana, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania, and Vietnam.
