A senior official has called for the equal treatment of all clubs as the government prepares to give selected teams handouts for the new season.
With the centennial Hong Kong First Division opener between Kitchee and Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei kicking off at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground today, Hong Kong Football Association vice-president Steven Lo Kit-sing said he was baffled by the intended distribution of money.
'I have no idea why only district clubs will be given government funding,' said Lo, who is also team convenor of South China, the club with over 100 years of history. 'Soccer is in a critical stage and it would be a positive sign if the government injected financial resources to all clubs. I am sure the commercial sector would follow suit if the government had a fair arrangement.'
The government will allocate up to HK$500,000 to each of the district-based teams (less for those in the lower divisions) under a three-year pilot scheme. There are three teams in the First Division that meet the requirements - Tai Po, Tuen Mun and newly promoted Sham Shui Po.
A senior government official in charge of sports development said the scheme's aim was to strengthen district club football, in line with recommendations made by a football consultancy study last year.
'The football consultancy study pinpointed the importance of developing football at the district level in order to create a stable base for the long-term improvement of the sport,' said Jonathan McKinley, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs.