Don’t boo Chinese national anthem, Hong Kong football authority begs fans while admitting its hands tied
Appeal comes after boos heard for March of the Volunteers at match against Laos on Thursday
Hong Kong’s football authority has appealed to local fans not to boo the Chinese national anthem at a match against Malaysia next week, but admitted it expected some to do so.
The appeal came after boos were heard for March of the Volunteers when the Hong Kong team took on Laos in a friendly at Mong Kok Stadium on Thursday night. The Football Association said the boos had been disrespectful and might lead to penalties for soccer officials.
A block of Hong Kong football fans were seen jeering the anthem before their team trounced the visitors 4-0. Some were even seen raising their middle finger during the anthem.
Hong Kong has seen a rise in anti-mainland sentiment in recent months, with some even calling for the city to break away from Chinese rule.
Vice-chairman of the association Pui Kwan-kay described the catcalls as “stupid” and “meaningless”, but said soccer officials had their hands tied in preventing such episodes.
“I cannot rule out more jeers in the next game as, honestly, there are no measures we can take to stop fans booing,” Pui said.