Sports development is going round in circles as Hong Kong chases Olympic success
Robert Wilson says the government must lead the way in overhauling the static system to move beyond lip service and nurture international-class athletic talent
Hong Kong’s team returned empty-handed from the Olympic Games. It was the territory’s 16th appearance at the Summer Games and on 13 occasions our team has failed to win a medal. Should the community and the government be concerned?
Each of the 38 Hong Kong athletes sent to Rio had reached the qualifying standard set by the International Olympic Committee; so doesn’t this mean they were in with a chance? Well, no; actually, only one had a good chance of a medal. The IOC wants as many countries as possible to compete, and so limits entries from top sporting nations. Most of our team qualified through regional events, not through world championships, and were soon eliminated in Rio.
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Billions have been spent on the government-run Hong Kong Sports Institute, but this year it produced only one athlete with a realistic chance of a medal, which evaporated in a collision on the cycling track. The institute currently trains some 300 athletes and wants to raise this to 500, but where will the extra 200 come from, given that sport is severely underdeveloped?
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One world-class athlete is far below what is possible from 7 million people, but better results will require changes to the system. The government must lead the way, but, if there is opposition, changes will not be made.
