Medals will unite HK for 2023 bid, Tsang tells team
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has urged the city's Asian Games-bound squad to return with a stack of medals so as to unite the public behind sports - a plea a top official said was tacit backing for Hong Kong's proposed bid to host the 2023 event.
At the end of yesterday's flag presentation ceremony at Hong Kong Stadium for the 547-strong contingent, Tsang surprised many people when he made an impromptu address to the athletes and called on them to be a catalyst uniting people.
'Tsang said Hong Kong's success at the East Asian Games had united the people, but for some reason that feeling had eroded over time,' said Con Conway, deputy chef de mission of the Hong Kong squad, who was at Tsang's side. 'He told the athletes the Guangzhou Games was another opportunity to do well, and asked them to try and win accolades so that the people in Hong Kong would be united behind sports.'
There has been a wave of public criticism of Hong Kong's proposed bid for the 2023 Games in recent weeks.
However, the off-the-cuff speech, made first in English and then Cantonese, was viewed by Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, president of the Hong Kong Olympic committee, as support from Tsang for the bid.
'He [Tsang] spoke with a lot of emotion. By asking the athletes to do well in Guangzhou, the chief executive has effectively told us not to give up on our plans to bid for the 2023 Asian Games,' Fok said.
'His speech was a show of support for us. The public was behind sport during and soon after the East Asian Games. We also had the backing of Legco then. But like Tsang said, that support has eroded and it is up to us to win that back.'
Tsang also won the hearts of the Hong Kong squad when he promised them a party at Government House if they returned with a clutch of medals.
'We were flabbergasted by his speech. It was not on the cards. He spoke from his heart and it was very good to hear his support,' Conway said.
Hong Kong will send its biggest squad for a multi-sport event with the 547-strong contingent for the November 12-27 Games split into 395 athletes and 152 officials. They will take part in 34 sports, and in 43 disciplines.
'This Games is extra special for us because it is in Guangzhou. The athletes have trained hard and they are ready for their moment in the sun,' Fok said.
