HONGKONG'S Olympic chief A. de O. Sales has called for an extension to today's deadline for sports associations to book their places in the new Sports House.
Sales, the president of the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hongkong, said more time should be given for sports associations to decide if they want to move into Sports House, part of the Royal Hongkong Jockey Club's $850 million redevelopment of the national stadium at So Kon Po.
The Sports Development Board, who will be managing the building, have set today's deadline so the architects can move in next week and work can be put out to tender. The whole project will be completed by April 1994.
Throughout discussions, Sales has said the SDB have handled the matter in a ''high-handed'' manner without proper consultation with the sports associations.
And as the deadline approached, Sales said last night: ''I suggest they give them more time. We have not put pressure on the associations and no-one is going to point a gun to our head.
''The associations meet every six weeks to two months and when our next meeting comes along that would be a good time to find out their views.