Editorial | Cut red tape to give Hong Kong’s athletic talent a chance to compete
- The long-standing bureaucracy and rigid rules in local sport risk the next Siobhan Haughey being overlooked
The city is joining the world as it gears up for the Olympic Games in Paris. As we wait with bated breath for some good news from the Hong Kong and national teams, another episode in the local sport sector has put the spotlight on what appears to be some long-standing bureaucracy that may clip the wings of aspiring athletes.
The row emerged after Alex Fong Lik-sun, a Hong Kong Olympian swimmer-turned-actor and singer, hit out at swimming bosses for ignoring some sports talent simply because they do not belong to the right swimming clubs.
Fong said a nine-year-old in his swimming academy was qualified to compete in certain open events, but his swimming academy has the lowest tier of membership with the local governing body and was therefore barred from the race.
Upon intervention by lawmaker Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, also vice-president of the city’s Sports Federation and Olympic Committee, the Hong Kong China Swimming Association later agreed that no talent should be denied because of club affiliations.
But exactly how admission criteria and membership will be modified remains to be seen.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also expressed concerns over the dispute. Noting that the sport sector enjoys considerable public funding each year, Lee said the bodies should fulfil their purpose of promoting sports and grooming talent.
