NEXT week's Asian Games could be Hong Kong's last appearance in a major multi-sport event unless the territory seeks ratification from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for continued autonomy after 1997.
Although China has guaranteed Hong Kong's sporting independence after the handover to Chinese rule, Wei Jizhong, secretary general of the Chinese Olympic Committee, is believed to be concerned that Hong Kong has yet to make a formal request to the IOC - the body which must ultimately recognise the territory's autonomy.
According to sources, Wei has been pushing the Hong Kong National Olympic Committee to approach the IOC. Wei is in Hiroshima for the Asian Games, but was not available for comment.
Once Hong Kong returns to China in 1997, the international sporting community could assume the territory has been absorbed by the mainland, unless Hong Kong has officially applied to remain independent.
The world governing bodies of the various sports must also receive an official request for autonomy from Hong Kong, but this would be a formality once the territory's future is recognised by the IOC.
The spectre was not lost on some Hong Kong athletes in Hiroshima.
Tenpin bowler Cat Che, gold medallist at the 1986 Seoul Asiad, said: 'At the moment we are not sure if we will be able to represent Hong Kong after 1997. That's why we are going all out for medals. We are going to play like it's our last Asian Games.' Hong Kong's Olympic chief A. de. O. Sales was not available for comment last night as his flight from Hong Kong to Japan was diverted to Kagoshima because of Typhoon 26.
