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Anson defends Games bid

Anson Chan

Sports facilities would continue to be improved despite Hong Kong's failure to land the 2006 Asian Games, a leading government official said yesterday.

There had not been an incorrect assessment of the SAR's chances of landing the Games, and the results were hard to predict, Chief Secretary for Administration Anson Chan Fang On-sang said after returning with members of the Asian Games bid committee from Pusan, South Korea, where the vote was taken on Sunday.

Doha, capital of the Gulf emirate of Qatar, won the right to host the Games, securing 22 votes out of 41 cast in the second round of voting. Hong Kong secured only six and Kuala Lumpur 13. New Delhi was eliminated after the first round with just two votes.

Mrs Chan said: 'I'm very sorry that on this occasion we did not succeed in bidding to host the 2006 Asian Games, but we found this has been a very worthwhile experience.

'If we look at it from a more positive note . . . I believe that we've united the entire community behind sport. We certainly raised public awareness of the importance and the beneficial effects of participating in sports.'

Mrs Chan said the Government would work to raise the standard of sport in Hong Kong, improve facilities and put more resources into training.

Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, vice-chairman of the bid committee, hoped public support would continue.

He said the committee, led by Mrs Chan, had done its best and was comforted by the fact that the bidding had strengthened Hong Kong's concern for sport.

Speaking before leaving for the economic leaders meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum in Brunei, Secretary for Commerce and Industry Chau Tak-hay said the bid failure should not have any financial impact on the territory.

Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said people should not to be disappointed, and believed the defeat would not affect Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Executive councillor Henry Tang Ying-yen said the political and religious ties of Doha with its Islamic neighbours was a possible factor behind its victory.

'Probably, the Middle East countries are always looking after each other. I believe many political factors are involved,' he said, adding the voting system should be more transparent to make public the choice of each country in casting their vote.

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