Coronavirus: football chief worries about falling attendance ahead of government’s plan to impose tighter vaccination rules
- Spectators wanting to enter government venues are required to be vaccinated from next month, prompting fears many will stay away
- Players and club officials must follow the same guidelines, with HKFA chief Pui Kwan-kay saying it is the responsibility of every citizen to protect themselves and others
Local football may suffer another blow to its already poor attendance record when the government introduces tighter vaccination rules next month, the sport’s top official in Hong Kong said on Tuesday.
Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) chairman Pui Kwan-kay said he was worried the stricter measures would persuade some fans to stay away from venues but there was little the body could do.
“This is to be done for the sake of protecting people under the pandemic and a government policy which we have to follow,” Pui said.
“Of course we are quite sure some of the fans may not come because of the vaccination requirements and attendance will be affected. But this should be the responsibility of every citizen, protecting themselves and other people as well.”
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Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Tuesday said fans entering government sports venues from February 24 onwards would need to have received at least one dose of a recognised vaccine.
Now, spectators are only required to record their visits by scanning their LeaveHomeSafe apps or completing a health declaration form if they are exempt from using smartphones.
All Hong Kong Premier League matches, except Hong Kong Football Club home games, are held at government venues and administered by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Football Club has its own ground at Happy Valley.
Like many sports, local football has been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The HKFA has been forced to suspend its competitions three times over the past two years and matches at one stage were held behind closed doors.
The 2020-21 season was shortened with two cup tournaments, the FA Cup and the Senior Shield, called off.
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The Senior Shield is still missing this season but the FA Cup has resumed and attendance is falling. Last week, 296 fans turned up at Tai Po Sports Ground for the Sapling Cup match between HKU23 and Eastern.
The FA Cup has done better with 2,626 fans attending the semi-final between Lee Man and Eastern on Christmas Day, a public holiday.
It’s not only the fans who must comply with the rules. Players and club officials are also required to be vaccinated.
Pui said the association would instruct the clubs to conduct vaccination programmes once it receives the official document from the government.
“We have persuaded them to get vaccinated and believe most of the players and officials have already done so, but once it becomes policy, they must follow or they cannot enter the stadiums,” Pui said.
