The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivation of sports participation in Chinese elite athletes with physical disabilities. The investigation aimed to determine if sport motives differed between sex (male versus female), age (youth versus adults), level and years of training, and disabilities (congenital versus acquired). 140 Chinese elite athletes with physical disabilities from 14 different delegations were asked to complete the Participation Motivation Inventory (PMI) and Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire. 115 surveys (M=64, F=51) were returned (82.1% returning rate). SPSS was used for the data analysis, and ANOVA and t-test were used for statistical analyses. Results showed that the important factors of motivation for sports participation was Skill Development, Fun, Friendship, Achievement, Situation factors, and Energy release, from the highest to the least respectively. The Improve skill and Fun were as high incentives for sports participation, and the Situation factors and Energy release were two the least motive factors for participation. The motivation between athletes with congenital and acquired disabilities was significant different (p<0.05), the athletes with congenital disabilities score much higher on “Energy release” than that of athletes with acquired disabilities. There was no significant difference between gender and type of disability on sports participation (P>0.05). There were notable differences between youth and adult on Goal Orientation, the data analyses revealed that the old athletes scored significant higher than younger athletes on Ego Orientation (P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference between young and old athletes on Task Orientation. The survey also found that there was no significant difference between age, self-evaluation, injury time (congenital/acquired), types of disabilities on Task Orientation. The relationship between Goal Orientation and Sports participation had been also analyzed, and the results showed that there was a high correlation between Task Orientation and Skill Development, as well as Task Orientation and Fun. The results of this study met the findings from other studies. In conclusion, the results of this survey indicated that Skill Development and Having Fun were the two major factors motivating individuals with physical disabilities to participate in sports. Coach should create more competitive opportunities for athletes to compete each other, and at the same time, create more fun activities for athletes to enjoy their participations.Keyword(s): adapted physical activity, coaching