A TOTAL of 75 athletes have been nominated by seven sports associations to represent Hong Kong in this summer's Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia.
But the president of Hong Kong's National Olympic Committee, A. de O. Sales, said the figure was too high and must be trimmed by around 10 before the Canadian organisers' February 18 deadline.
Hong Kong will be competing in seven sports at the Commonwealth Games, which run from August 18-28 and which will be the last for the territory because the Chinese Olympic Committee insist they cannot enter after the 1997 change of sovereignty.
Of the seven sports taking part, swimming have asked for 16 athletes, lawn bowls for 14, shooting 13, badminton 10, track and field nine, gymnastics eight and cycling five.
Sales, who is also chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said: ''It is a progressive process of reduction and while some sports associations have been very realistic, others are a bit optimistic.
''All sports associations are required to produce a training programme, medical fitness and qualifying standards within the year before the Commonwealth Games.