On July 4 at the Office of the President, President Chen Shui-bian met with a group of young athletes with intellectual disabilities who participated in the 4th INAS-FID World Swimming Championship and the 2nd World Down Syndrome Swimming Championship. The president congratulated them on their excellence in these competitions and encouraged them to make their lives more significant.
While some local groups are planning to hold an international swimming championship in Taiwan next year for the mentally and physically disabled, and Taipei is going to hold the 21st Summer Deaflympics, they are challenged by the fact that Taiwan has no obstacle-free swimming pools for the disabled athletes. Therefore, the president has asked related government agencies to cope with this problem, hoping these competitions can be organized and held in Taiwan.
In the meeting with the president, the athletes were all excited and exuberant with joy, asking the president to autograph their "A-Bian dolls," stuffed toys portraying the president and designated by his nickname "A-Bian."
These young life warriors' visit to the Office of the President was accompanied by Examination Yuan President Yao Chia-wen and members of two civic associations that promote sports for the disabled. Deputy Secretary-General to the President Cho Jung-tai was also present in the meeting.