Editorial | Lost for words after latest Hong Kong anthem gaffe
- Playing of Hong Kong protest song instead of national anthem at international ice hockey face-off despite new guidelines must be fully investigated
Making the same mistake repeatedly is hardly excusable, even more so when it involves matters of national pride and dignity. The latest mix-up of a protest song and the national anthem, this time at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Europe, has added to a series of blunders that have left government and sports officials red-faced.
Despite reviews and guidelines to prevent any recurrence, they mean little if mistakes still occur.
A video of the incident shows the organiser playing Glory to Hong Kong, a song linked to the 2019 social unrest, instead of the March of the Volunteers, after the city’s team beat Iran 11-1 in a match at Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday.
The wrong tune was soon stopped after members of the Hong Kong team realised and made the timeout “T” signal, a required gesture under guidelines issued in the wake of similar blunders at overseas sporting events last year.
The latest gaffe brought a prompt apology from the organiser and the correct anthem was then played.
The government said it “strongly deplored” the incident, noting that athletes had immediately lodged a protest in accordance with guidelines.