Hong Kong sport should be run like HSBC, be more professional, triathlon coach says
City’s triathletes challenged to meet higher standards or lose taxpayer funding, as coach says ‘that’s not harsh, it’s how the world works’
Hong Kong’s sporting bodies should be run in the unforgiving image of big business, according to Andrew Wright, the city’s triathlon head coach.
Triathlon’s Tier A status means its athletes receive between HK$35,450 (US$4,600) and HK$41,740 per month from Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), funded by the taxpayer.
Wright, though, insisted on raising the minimum benchmarks needed for his athletes to keep that support this year, having decided the previous yardsticks were “substandard”.
“These sports need to be run like big businesses,” Wright said. “If you were working for HSBC and not performing, the same would happen.
“It’s doing an athlete a favour, because [not reaching benchmarks] shows triathlon is not what they should be doing with their time. It’s fair to them, and it’s fair for everyone else.”
None of Wright’s squad gained automatic qualification for November’s National Games after underwhelming performances in last Saturday’s Hong Kong-hosted Asia Triathlon Sprint Championships.
