Suffering from chronic pain and a stiff back since he was 12, Jin Jun never imagined that one day he would be able to watch a live game at a stadium.

That was until yesterday when the 35-year-old visited the National Indoor Stadium to watch a game of basketball.

"Watching a game on television is nothing compared to being at the venue. The atmosphere is so different, you enjoy it more," Jin said.

Jin watched the women's wheelchair basketball game between the US and Brazil as part of activities organized by the Beijing Disabled Person's Federation for 160 people and their families from the Haidian district.

Jin said he never knew that wheelchair-bound people were capable of playing basketball.

"They are an encouragement to me that I must, and can, do better," he said.

"But physical rehabilitation is not enough. Psychological rehabilitation is also very important for disabled people," he said.

In the past few days, the disabled in Haidian district have been taken on tours of the Olympic Green.

On Tuesday, 50 visually impaired people were taken to the Bird's Nest so that could touch parts of the structure to get a better idea of what it is like.

Chen Yanning, an official of Fragrant Mountain Community Disabled Person's Federation said: "The most frequently asked question by the blind is what the Bird's Nest is like.

"When we saw the expression on their faces, I felt so happy. They must have formed a much more beautiful picture of the Bird's Nest than us," Chen said.

(China Daily September 12, 2008)