Funding shortfall stops soccer girls reaching goals

Development of the women's game is hampered by poor organization and low public awareness. Christine Low reports.

Wearing her hair in a tight bun secured by a flowery elastic hair tie, 7-year-old Zhao Fangyu ran around the training field at the Sunrise Football Academy with razor-sharp focus during a practice game. Despite being the slightest and shortest of her peers, Fangyu ran as fast as the others, while keeping her eyes on the ball.

What set her apart was not just her small physical build, but the fact that she was the only girl at the session. She is one of just two girls in her age group attending training at the academy, and, as the game is still a largely male-dominated sport, women and girls are exceptions on China's soccer fields.