Xinhua
3rd July 2020
Feature: football enriches lives of hearing-impaired teenagers in NW China
A group of boys proudly competed in a closely contested football game. They seemed no different to other students, except for the hearing devices attached to their ears.
All the players are students of Baiyin Special Education School in Northwest China's Gansu Province. With classes gradually resuming as the COVID-19 pandemic eases in the country, these hearing-impaired youngsters enjoyed their first football practice since mid-June.
After having their temperatures taken, a whistle from a teacher signaled for the game to begin. Tian Wenhai, a tall eighth grader, gestured to his teammates to rush to the penalty area, who assisted him in scoring a goal. The team celebrates with high-fives all round.
Tian Wenhai gestured that he has suffered from congenital hearing loss since birth. He's had to learn to communicate with people by reading lips and sign language.