SEAPOWER, the company which helped lift the profile of local basketball, is set to do the same with badminton by importing mainland Chinese players for the domestic league.
Seapower's decision to recruit foreign players is a first for the ''amateur'' game and is certain to lift its profile.
Hongkong Badminton Association administration officer Iris Mak Oi-yee said: ''We do not have any rules governing the recruitment of overseas players but our executive committee decided this should not prevent us from doing it. It should be good for the sport.'' The month-long league starts on February 22 and will culminate with the title match at the Southorn Stadium on March 26.
Seapower have signed three Shanghainese and three Hunan players, with their other team members being local junior internationals Tsang Ching-kin and Shum Man-kwong.
The Shanghai players and their coach are scheduled to arrive on February 16 but team manager Ho Kwong-chak said the Hunan players have yet to be issued Hongkong visas.
''We need at least six players to form the three doubles combinations for a full line-up and we can only hope that the Hunan players can come before the competition starts,'' said Ho.
