Top HK medal hope barred from University Games
Medal hopeful Hayley Chan Hei-man has appealed against a decision ruling her ineligible for next month's World University Games in Shenzhen because of doubts about her student status.The first-year student at Hong Kong University, who is at a training camp in Europe preparing for the 'Sail For Gold' regatta in England, was told this week she had been omitted from the 100-plus Hong Kong delegation.
'She is very disappointed and has decided to appeal against the decision,' Hong Kong Windsurfing Association executive director Dennis Chau Wai-keung said. 'She is a registered student at the University of Hong Kong and her status has been verified by the university authority. As far as we understand, she has fulfilled all the requirements and that's why we nominated her for the Games.'
Along with Chan, a silver medallist in the women's mistral at last year's Guangzhou Asian Games, the association also submitted two other board sailors for the Shenzhen Games, Ma Yik-kau and Law Ching-yin, and both have been accepted.
According to the rules of the International University Sports Federation, students who are officially registered and proceeding towards a degree or diploma at university and whose status is recognised by the appropriate national academic authority of their country can compete in the Universiade.
Chan's student status, however, was questioned by the University Sports Federation of Hong Kong - the local governing body of university sports - after the board sailor suspended her studies in the second semester.
'Chan changed her part-time athlete's status at the Sports Institute to full-time in April due to her preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games qualifiers,' Chau said. 'She has to prepare for the hectic training and competition schedule in the latter part of the year and this cannot be done as a part-time athlete.
'Then in early June, she was asked by the university sports authority for her academic transcript of the second semester and, of course, she could not produce it. She was then rejected for the Games.'
Both Ma and Law are part-timers and have no intention of trying to qualify for the London Olympics. They were able to produce the study transcripts.
'The Sports Institute offers HK$250,000 for a gold medal at the World University Games, which means they want results. But, unfortunately, we are not allowed to send our best athlete to the Games because they have devoted themselves too much to the sport. This is unfair to the athletes,' Chau said.
'They should give Chan an exemption because she is a registered student with strong medal hopes in Shenzhen.'
Chan, 20, finished fourth overall in the Kiel regatta in Germany last week, winning three races, including the medal race against some of the world's best sailors.
Windsurfing is making a comeback at the University Games after six years. Vicky Chan Wai-kei, now the Hong Kong number one, took part in the 2005 games in Turkey where she just missed a podium place, finishing fourth. The Hong Kong University Sports Federation confirmed yesterday it had received Chan's appeal. 'We will study the case shortly,' sports executive Arthur Li said.
Li said Hong Kong would take part in 15 sports at the Shenzhen Games with more than 100 athletes, the largest team since first taking part in 1985.
The squad will be led by fencer Au Sin-yin, who won an individual silver and a team bronze in the women's sabre at the Guangzhou Asian Games, and swimming bronze medallists Sze Hang-yu and Stephanie Au Hoi-shun.
