Yearender: Top 10 Chinese sports news events in 2021

BEIJING, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Here is Xinhua News Agency's selection of the 10 most significant pieces of Chinese sports news in 2021, in chronological order:

- Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected the preparatory work for the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing and co-host city Zhangjiakou from January 18 to 20, and presided over a meeting on the Beijing 2022 preparations. Under the guidance of President Xi, Games preparations went smoothly during the year - the official motto and medal design were unveiled and testing programs were held as scheduled. The Olympic flame for the 2022 Games was ignited in Ancient Olympia, Greece in October.

- On February 28, defending Chinese Super League champion Jiangsu Suning dissolved before the new season started. Several other football clubs also disbanded or withdrew from China's professional leagues due to financial problems. China's men's national team is on the brink of elimination from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar following a poor run in the Asian Zone qualifiers.

However, football development in China has not been halted by the difficulties. Preparations for the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup progressed smoothly with the emblem and theme of the tournament unveiled. Professional football clubs removed reference to sponsors or investors in their names under the reform by the Chinese Football Association (CFA).

- The 50th anniversary of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" was commemorated in Beijing on April 24. Over 400 people from China and the United States, including many historical witnesses, attended this event. Star players from the two nations formed mixed doubles teams for the world table tennis championship in Houston in November to mark the 50th anniversary of Ping-Pong Diplomacy.

- Guangdong Southern Tigers claimed the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) championship for a record 11th time after beating the Liaoning Flying Leopards in Game 3 of the 2020-21 season CBA finals on May 1.

- On May 28, the General Administration of Sports of China (GAS) issued a notice urging running event organizers to strengthen safety management. Organizers are obliged to report the date, events and scale of the road race to the provincial authorities and to the Chinese Athletics Association.

- Chinese athletes won 38 gold, 32 silver and 18 bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games held between July 23 and August 8, equalling the country's record of the most gold medals won at an overseas Olympic Games.

At the Tokyo Paralympic Games from August 24 to September 5, China won a total of 207 medals - 96 gold, 60 silver and 51 bronze, to finish atop the gold and overall medal tally for five Games in a row.

- In a bid to better meet the people's fitness and health needs, push forward sports reforms and turn China into a sporting powerhouse, a national fitness plan for 2021-2025 was issued by China's State Council in April, followed by the release of the 14th Five-Year Plan for Sports Development in October.

- The 14th National Games was held in northwest China's Shaanxi Province from September 15 to 27. Over 12,000 athletes competed in 35 sports and over 10,000 amateur participants took part in 19 sports at the event under COVID-19 countermeasures. The 11th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 8th National Special Olympic Games were also held in Shaanxi between October 22 and 29.

- A draft revision to China's Law on Physical Culture and Sports was presented for review at the 31st session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, on October 19. The revision aims to address pressing issues in sports development and provide legal ground for sports reforms in China. August 8, which is currently China's National Fitness Day, was also proposed as National Sport Day.

- Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu will race for Alfa Romeo in the 2022 Formula 1 season, the Swiss-based team announced on November 16. In doing so, Zhou will become the first driver from China to race in the Formula 1 world championship.