LOCAL sports chief A. de O. Sales yesterday offered the final word on the territory's post-1997 sporting independence in front of Hong Kong's largest ever gathering of past, present and future Olympians.
At the pin presentation ceremony for all surviving Hong Kong Olympians since 1952, Sales sought to once and for all remove any doubts about the territory's independence after 1997.
'Let me tell you once again, Hong Kong is going to take part in international sports competitions, whether single sports or multi-sports, as a seperate entity according to the Basic Law,' Sales told the gathering of about 150 people at the Club Lusitano.
'Some people are flogging a dead horse by asking me about this, even now.
'The IOC president, Juan Samaranch, at the last Asian Games answered a question posed by a representative of the Hong Kong press and he said that Hong Kong would carry on and he has given it to me in writing.
'People ask me about the Hong Kong flag.