News
Chinese social sports instructor strives to get more people into sports
By Ji Fang, People’s Daily
Tong Baomin, a Chinese social sports instructor, has been serving as a volunteer for China’s
national fitness program for more than 10 years.
Joining the tide of live streaming, Tong recently moved his fitness classes online. So far, he has
provided over 300 hours of free courses on the internet and become very popular among many
sports lovers.
Tong’s bond with the national fitness program was established in 2008. That year, the Beijing
Olympics was held and he graduated from Beijing Sport University.
“A huge amount of people were seen doing sports and physical exercises on the streets.” Tong
stated that the Olympic Games sparked people’s interest for sports, which made him realized that
his academic education may be of tremendous help.
On the first National Fitness Day of China which fell on Aug. 8, 2009, a Tai Chi performance was
staged at the Beijing Olympic Park by around 34,000 people, including Tong and his team. Tong is
quite proud of this experience. “They were all eager to participate, but many of them could not do
the moves right. That was exactly where I could help,” he recalled.
This experience further aroused Tong’s enthusiasm. Since then, he has been devoting more time to
Tai Chi teaching in the neighborhood and managed to acquire a state-level qualification for social
sports instructors, which better helps him with his volunteer services.
Besides, Tong has made over 30 video materials about Tai Chi, Kung Fu fan, and Kung Fu
umbrella, as well as 30 image-text materials that explain the breakdowns of the moves.
“Every year we would make new martial arts routines and set new standards according to their
development, so as to offer more choices for the public,” Tong said.
Chinese people are gaining an increasingly higher awareness of fitness, and more and more of
them are joining fitness activities. In recent years, Tong has spent almost all weekends and
holidays offering fitness volunteer services.
“I’m always kept busy on weekends and holidays because there are a lot more people doing fitness
exercises on these days,” he told People’s Daily.
Over the past 10 years, Tong has visited more than 60 cities across China for sports instruction,
from which he witnessed the increasingly important status of sports in the daily life of Chinese
citizens.
“People are getting more passionate about sports, and they are also gaining a higher sense of
fulfillment and happiness,” Tong said.
In 2014, China updated the national fitness program into a national strategy, which was followed
by the issuance of a series of documents on enhancing sports facilities and building a higher-level
public service system of national fitness.
According to statistics released in 2020, 37.2 percent of Chinese citizens aged seven and above
frequently participated in physical exercises, up 3.3 percent from the figure in 2014, and 90.4
percent of Chinese citizens measured up to the physical constitution standards, up 0.8 percent
from that in 2014.
Tong believes the training of social sports instructors shall become more systematic and focus on
practice, as the national fitness system gets more and more improved. Therefore, he would
constantly record great experiences and practices he sees.
Three years ago, he joined a research activity held by the center for social sports instruction under
the General Administration of Sports, during which he visited two social sports instruction stations
in Fuyang, east China’s Anhui province and participated in a local sports event for farmers.
This trip left a deep impression on him. “How to make people interested in and passionate about
sports is a very important topic. The communication with my peers inspired me a lot,” he said.
Over the past years, many sports lovers, physical education teachers, athletes, and sports
researchers have joined volunteer services for national fitness, making the group of social sports
instructors larger and larger. It is reported that as of the end of 2021, over 2.7 million social sports
instructors had acquired certificates of skill levels, and there were 1.91 social sports instructors for
every 1,000 Chinese nationals.
“I am a social sports instructor, and I hope I can turn more people into sports lovers through my
professionalism,” Tong said.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo in a dispute over the party’s candidates emerging from the Benue State APC primaries for the 2027 general election.
The order was made on Thursday by Justice Inyang Ekwo during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh Akaagba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the APC and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates in Benue State through its June 29, 2026 correspondence, or any subsequent communication, to INEC, pending determination of the substantive suit.
They also sought an order compelling the APC to immediately transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during the primaries monitored by the electoral commission.
When the matter first came up on July 8, 2026, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing both APC and INEC to appear and respond before any decision was taken. The matter was adjourned to July 16.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the APC and INEC were present in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, alongside his legal team.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties particularly with INEC now before the court, the defendants were required by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.
When counsel to the plaintiffs urged the court to caution APC and INEC against taking any further action that could affect the disputed list of candidates, the judge responded that it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.
The court consequently restrained APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by duly filing and exchanging their respective processes.
It held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to the expeditious determination of the substantive action, and directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of the objective of preserving the res and safeguarding the efficacy of the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit, restraining any act or omission capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory.
The court further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates pending final determination of the suit, and from receiving, recognising, or acting upon any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.
The matter was adjourned to July 21, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former First Lady Patience Ibifaka Jonathan recently celebrated a significant family milestone as they attended the graduation ceremony of their son, Ariara Goodluck Jonathan, at Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
The proud parents joined family members and well-wishers to witness Ariara receive his degree, marking the successful completion of his academic programme. The occasion was filled with joy as the Jonathan family commemorated the achievement, highlighting the importance they place on education and personal development.
The graduation ceremony attracted warm congratulatory messages from friends, associates, and admirers, who wished the graduate continued success in his future endeavours.
The Following names joined the political family of Sen. Dr. George Akume today after leaving the sinking Alia ship .
Under the leadership of Barr. Emmanuel Jime .
The are ;
Chief Nelson Alapa
Douglas pepe SAN senatorial Aspirant zone A,
Engr Peter Ashiekaa
QS Clement Beetseh
Former commissioners
Joy Luga
Ann itodo
Barr martins Shaagee
Miss Dorcas
Prof Usar Joseh
Prof Cephas Tushima
Chief Patrick Idoko
Hon Patience Akor
Hon Fred Idoko
Hon Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jnr
Hon Andrew Abah
Hon Agbo Innocent Ikwumonu
Hon Simon Omachoko
Hon David Egboja
Dr John Garba
Among together,
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