Visitors look at displays at the Exhibition of Chinese Sports Culture and the Dual Olympics at the Capital Museum in Beijing. Olympic torches, medals, representative gears of athletes, and evidence of biddings for both Olympic Games are on display at the exhibit jointly organized by the China Sports Museum and the Capital Museum. [Photo/China News Service]

The 31st session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) reviewed a draft revision to the country's Law on Physical Culture and Sports on Oct 19 last year.

This marks the law's first revision apart from two previous changes since its enactment in 1995. The revision represents a giant stride in efforts to build China into a leading sports nation and will better promote the sports development under a solid legal system.

The draft revision focuses on solving such problems as an inadequate public service system for fitness and physical activity, an underperforming role of sports in promoting universal health, and an obvious trend of declining physical fitness among young people.

It also addresses challenges in the lack of regulation in sports organizations and the development gaps among sports industries amid efforts to align sports with sectors of education, health, elderly care, culture and tourism.

In its general provisions, the draft revision includes “the promotion of building a leading sports nation and the Healthy China initiative” as a new objective and makes it clear that sports work should be based on the national fitness campaign. The original chapter titled Social Sports is changed to National Fitness, and a new article on advancing the national fitness campaign is also added.

To improve physical fitness among teenagers, the draft revision emphasizes the health-first concept in education, clarifies the legal responsibilities of educational departments, sports authorities and schools in this drive, and stipulates requirements that students should spend no less than one hour on physical exercise every day during school hours.

A new chapter on anti-doping is also added to the law, reflecting China's resolve to fight against doping in sports. Such provisions on stronger supervision of high-risk sports and events and the designation of Aug 8  every year as the National Sports Day also show the legislature’s active response to people's concerns under the rule of law.

China has declared the goal of becoming a leading sports nation as part of the strategy of fully building a modern socialist country. In addition to the achievements of hosting national and international sports events, such as the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the sports sector has seen substantial progress in the coordinated development among professional sports, public engagement in sports, sports culture and industries.

Committed to the people-centered development philosophy, the top legislature upholds the rule of law and provides a strong legislative guarantee for promoting the progress of sports.