THE Sports Development Board could save close to $1.5 million on the costs of sending Hong Kong's athletes to this year's major events.
The board had budgeted for approximately $6.7 million to finance the territory's squads for August's Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada and October's Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan.
But due largely to strict screening procedures of athletes linked to both national associations and the National Olympic Committee, the costs are unlikely to be so high.
Board executive director, Howard Wells, said: ''We budgeted for $6.7 million but it is likely to be around $5 million or $5.5 million.
''It has always been the Government's practice to fund 90 per cent of the total costs, so it is not a problem.'' Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee president, A. de O. Sales, said earlier this week that Hong Kong would send around 200 athletes and officials to Hiroshima.
The original estimates submitted to the board were 237 for the Asian Games, and 100 for the Commonwealth Games.
