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Hong Kong football players celebrate after winning the men’s quarter-final against Iran at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on October 1. Photo: Xinhua
Opinion
Bernard Chan
Bernard Chan

To lift Hong Kong athletes’ game, more targeted funding is needed

  • The bulk of government spending on sports development now goes to community sports, while funding for the professionalisation of sports is also falling short
  • There is also a solid case for reviewing funding for popular sports like football, which inspired strong support during the recent Asian Games
Bernard Chan
Bernard Chan
Why you can trust SCMP
Success in sports is something familiar to Hong Kong athletes. Over the past 10 years, talented and dedicated Hong Kong men and women have been achieving success in various sports, including athletics, badminton, cycling, fencing, golf, rugby sevens, sailing, swimming, table tennis and windsurfing.
Recently, Hong Kong’s sports profile has been raised even more dramatically with our athletes’ excellent results at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou that concluded on October 8. Hong Kong won 53 medals – eight golds, 16 silvers and 29 bronzes – finishing the games in 10th place by total medals.
Our best showing at the Asian Games puts us on a sound footing to co-host the 15th National Games with Guangdong and Macau in 2025, and showcase the importance of sports to the Greater Bay Area.
Major sporting events can have a significant economic effect, generating revenue, creating employment opportunities and positively impacting tourism, trade and even diplomatic relations. Over the years, the Hong Kong Sevens has become integral to the global rugby sevens circuit, showcasing the city internationally and attracting teams and fans from around the world.
Kai Tak Sports Park, scheduled to open next year, is the next progression and it will elevate Hong Kong’s status as one of the region’s premier sports destinations. At a cost of around HK$32 billion (US$4 billion), it represents our most significant investment in sports infrastructure and reflects the government’s commitment to sports development.

The state-of-the-art facilities will include a main stadium with a retractable roof and a seating capacity of 50,000, an indoor sports stadium which seats 10,000, and a public sports ground with a seating capacity of 5,000. Besides hosting and attracting major sporting events, the Kai Tak Sports Park will also provide facilities to support sports and leisure activities at the grass-roots level, where focus is needed most.

There is also a commitment to develop new or improve existing facilities through the government’s “10-Year Development Blueprint for Sports and Recreational Facilities”. To date, 21 projects have been approved by the Legislative Council, amounting to around HK$10.6 billion.

Greater participation in sports, particularly from a young age, is essential to a healthy population. Besides, it will also provide us with a more substantial core group of young people with the skills and potential to rise to international prominence for Hong Kong.

To achieve this, we must promote physical literacy in our schools so that students develop the habits and motivation to lead more active and healthier lives. Sadly, this is rare in Hong Kong, with many schools citing the pressure to prioritise the academic curriculum over physical activity and parents often dismissing the value of sports.

According to a Legislative Council briefing paper in June, the government’s expenditure on sports development is forecast to be around HK$7.4 billion in 2023/24, an increase of around 42 per cent from five years ago. More than 80 per cent of this is channelled into sports at the community level.

One example is the “Sport for All” programme, which includes plans for about 37,000 sports and recreational activities in 2023-24 with an estimated attendance capacity of 2.3 million – a serious commitment.

A view of the construction site for Kai Tak Sports Park on October 10. Photo: May Tse

However, many believe that much more funding is needed at the national sports association level to improve the professionalisation of sports, which is a government objective.

To achieve this, governing bodies must operate to the highest professional standards, with equally high standards of governance, accountability and transparency.

For 2023-24, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has allocated some HK$610 million to 62 national sports associations and 43 sports organisations. However, more investment is needed to achieve the desired outcome of putting more sports on a professional footing.

Can Hong Kong maintain Asian Games success? That is the HK$7 billion question

There is also a strong case for reviewing funding for popular sports like football, which has strong community support. Our football team made history at the Asian Games and captured the imagination of local fans, though they did not go on to win the playoff match for third place. Nonetheless, this was an outstanding achievement.

The medal winners will also be rewarded. Our Asian Games medallists will be awarded HK$32.5 million by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Sports is a universal language and has a unique power to unite people and communities. Hong Kong is on an upward trajectory, thanks to consistent government support, which is essential. However, success can only be achieved with the commitment and tireless dedication of our athletes and their support staff.

Bernard Chan is a Hong Kong businessman and former Executive Council convenor

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