The Hong Kong Sports Institute's hunt for sponsors to plough money into an incentive scheme for medal winners at next year's Asian Games is still on, despite the revelation yesterday that long-time supporter Hang Seng Bank had turned down an invitation to be involved with the 2006 Doha Games.
Hang Seng Bank has backed local athletes since 1986, to date giving out more than HK$5.6 million to 39 medallists at the Olympics, Paralympics and National Games. The field was extended yesterday to also include winners at October's East Asian Games in Macau.
But the Asian Games is still the odd one out. HKSI chief executive Chung Pak-kwong said the bank had turned down an invitation to back the 2006 Asian Games effort, opting instead to plump for the smaller East Asian Games.
'Obviously it will cost more to be involved in an incentive award scheme for the Asian Games as the money given to medal winners is more,' said Chung. 'But we are very grateful for Hang Seng Bank who have extended their support and have been involved for a long time.'
Hang Seng Bank's involvement will include the 2008 Beijing Olympics. One sports official, who wished to remain anonymous, said the HKSI should have linked an Asian Games incentive scheme as a package with the Beijing Olympics as most sponsors were seeking to be associated in some way with the next Olympics.
Chung said a potential sponsor would need to dish out close to $3 million to bankroll an incentive scheme for the Asian Games. The HKSI will match, dollar for dollar, any donation by a sponsor.
